Agence France-Presse,
Beijing: Prime Minister Wen Jiabao said Thursday that China's military needed to be modernised “across the board” as a 15.3 percent increase in defence spending was placed before parliament.
“We need to make our army more revolutionary, modern and standardised, focusing on enabling it to fully carry out its historic missions,” Wen said in his annual address to the National People's Congress.
“We will… continue to enhance the army's ability to respond to multiple security threats and accomplish a diverse array of military tasks… we will modernise weapons, equipment and logistics support across the board.”
During the coming year, China's military would transform its training focus toward warfare tactics using more information technology applications, he said.
China's paramilitary police would also be beefed up, Wen added, in a nod to the force that responds to domestic unrest and instability.
“We will intensify the People's Armed Police Force to make it better able to carry out its duties, respond to emergencies, combat terrorism and safeguard stability,” Wen said.
China's military spending will rise 15.3 percent in 2009, according to a budget report, to be approved by the parliament at the end of its nine-day session.
The defence budget will rise to 472.9 billion yuan (69 billion dollars) this year, an increase of 62.7 billion yuan, it said.
On Wednesday, a parliament spokesman said the defence budget was set to rise to 480.7 billion yuan, up 62.5 billion yuan or 14.9 percent from the previous year.
No explanation was given for the discrepancy.
Both figures represent a doubling of defence spending since 2006.
The ministry report said the increase was aimed at improving living standards and benefits for the People's Liberation Army's estimated 2.3 million servicemen and -women, and upgrading its information technology and ability to engage in disaster response.
China had in the previous two years announced increases in excess of 17 percent.
The United States, Japan and their allies have long expressed concern about China's military build-up and what they see as a lack of transparency about the intent behind the expansion.
