Overwhelming public support for 2013 defense budget rise

Around 80 percent of the public supports China's defense budget increase of 10.7 percent in 2013, according to findings from a poll conducted by the Global Poll Center, a research firm affiliated with the Global Times.

The poll surveyed 565 respondents in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an, Changsha and Shenyang on Tuesday.

The survey found 50.1 percent of respondents believe the budget increase is "reasonable," while 28.7 percent said China should spend even more on its military.

Some 12.7 percent said the defense budget should be cut, and the remaining 8.5 percent said they had no clear opinion.

Males outnumbered females in supporting the defense budget increase, which was slightly down on last year's growth of 11.2 percent. Respondents aged in their 50s or older accounted for the largest age group describing the military spending increase as reasonable, while those in the 30 to 49 age bracket formed the dominant group calling for an even higher defense budget.

Jin Canrong, vice director of the School of International Studies at Renmin University of China, cited recent regional tensions and territorial disputes as a possible factor for Chinese supporting more military spending. Increasing the defense budget in line with economic growth was also another possible reason for public support, Jin said.