China has the world’s second-largest military budget after the US. Last year, China increased its defence budget by 7.2 per cent to about USD 232 billion (1.67 trillion yuan) The Chinese defence spending amounted to three times that of India’s Rs 6,81, 210 crore (about USD 78.8 billion) China’s defence budget figures are viewed by critics with scepticism in light of massive military modernisation, including building aircraft carriers, rapid construction of advanced naval ships and modern stealth aircraft being carried out at a feverish pitch by the Chinese military. The increased expenditure will be mainly used to develop new-domain forces with new combat capabilities and to enhance systems and capacity for reconnaissance and early warning, joint strikes, battlefield support and integrated logistics support, says Defence Spokesperson Sr. Co. Wu Qian. The spending will also be put into improving military training under combat conditions and deepening national defence and military reform, he adds. The Chinese Premier Li Qiang announced on Wednesday in the parliament that the planned defence expenditure for the country this year is 1.784665 trillion yuan ( about USD 249 billion)