China increases defense budget to $ 209 billion

The Chinese authorities intend to increase spending on national defense by 6.8% this year, to $ 209 billion.

This is stated in the report on the work of the government, distributed during the opening of the IV session of the 13th National People’s Congress.

“National defense spending will amount to 1.356 billion yuan, up 6.8%; spending on public safety – 185.01 billion yuan (about $ 28.5 billion), with an increase of 0.7%,” – TASS quoted the text of the document.

As previously reported, China intends to resolutely suppress the interference of external forces in the affairs of the special administrative regions of the country – Hong Kong and Macau.