No hidden defence spending, says Chinese official

China has dismissed reports that it is hiding expenditure on defence and claimed that its per capita defence budget was lowest among the permanent members of the UN Security Council.

China has dismissed reports that it is hiding expenditure on defence and claimed that its per capita defence budget was lowest among the permanent members of the UN Security Council.

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China publishes the national defence white paper every two years, which is more detailed in military expenditure than many other countries, Jia Yong, a member of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), was quoted as saying by the official media in Beijing on Friday.

While speaking on the sidelines of the sessions of the National Peoples Congress, he said the reports in the foreign media alleging that China had hidden defence budget were merely meant to draw more attention.

On March 5, the Chinese government announced its plans to increase the defence budget by 7.5 per cent in 2010 to 532. 115 billion yuan (about $77 billion).

Last year China hiked the defence 14.9 per cent. China said it would focus its military spending this year mainly on modernisation of its military to "win" IT driven "local" wars, increase the ability of the People's Liberation Army to respond to "multiple security threats" and to intensify the R and D to develop new weapons and equipment.