China to keep pushing military modernisation

Wen said China would not flag in its effort to build a more modern, high-tech military equipped with advanced weaponry.

BEIJING, March 5, 2010 (AFP) - Premier Wen Jiabao vowed on Friday that China would continue a drive to strengthen its military capabilities, a day after the country announced the smallest defence budget hike in years.

In a speech opening the annual session of parliament, Wen said China would not flag in its effort to build a more modern, high-tech military equipped with advanced weaponry -- an effort that has caused concern overseas.

China would "strengthen all aspects of the army in accordance with the principle of making it more revolutionary, modern and standardised," he told the National People's Congress.

China's defence budget for 2010 will be 519.1 billion yuan (76 billion dollars), up 7.5 percent from 2009, the slowest rate of increase in many years, according to a finance ministry budget submitted Friday for NPC approval.

On Thursday, an NPC spokesman announced China's defence budget for 2010 would be 532.1 billion yuan, also up 7.5 percent from actual defence spending last year.

No explanation was given for the discrepancy in the figures.

Military experts said the budget reflected national belt-tightening amid a slowdown in economic growth, but stressed that actual spending is likely to be two to three times higher as many defence programmes are kept off the official books.

Wen said China's resolve in building military power commensurate with its growing global political and economic clout remained firm.

"We will concentrate on making the army better able to win informationised local wars, and will enhance its ability to respond to multiple security threats and accomplish a diverse array of military tasks," he said.

"Informationised" is a term that refers to high-tech military capability.

He also said China would "intensify research and development on national defence and the development of weapons and equipment," and upgrade logistical abilities.

China has poured money into its once-backward People's Liberation Army in recent years with a string of double-digit budget increases that has funded development of a host of advanced missiles, jet fighters and other weaponry.

Western countries say China is also building up its cyber-warfare capability and in 2007 successfully tested a satellite-killing missile. Earlier this year, it said it had successfully tested a surface-to-air missile intercept system.

The drive has caused worry among China's neighbours and the United States, which has questioned Beijing's military intentions.

China maintains that the army build-up is purely for national defence and poses no threat to other countries.

Wen said China also would strengthen the capabilities of its People's Armed Police, a large paramilitary force tasked with quelling domestic unrest, a particular issue with tensions still high in minority regions like Tibet and Xinjiang.

China would "modernise and improve the PAP and make it better able to carry out its duties, respond to emergencies, combat terrorism and safeguard stability," he said.