China's defense budget justified: military expert

Beijing (CNS) -- Some negative international reactions to "China's overly high military budget of US$160 billion for 2012" are founded in a misreading of China's situation and its path of peaceful development, said the military expert Wen Bing on Monday.

China plans to raise its defense budget in 2012 by 11.2 percent, to 670 billion yuan (US$106.4 billion), according to Li Zhaoxing, spokesman for the annual session of China's national legislature.

Wen Bing, a researcher with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Military Science Academy, said spending growth is actually moderate. It shows China will continue to center on economic development, with no intention to participate in an arms race of any kind with any country.

"In terms of defense spending, the Chinese government will not, as some foreign analysts suggest, take drastic measures in response to, or overreaction to, the so-called 'worsening of global security'," Wen insisted.

Wen said China's appropriate defense budget growth only just satisfies the country's limited military demands and appropriately enhances its role in maintaining international and regional stability.