Japan 'crying thief' over China's defense budget, Chinese spokesperson says
2026-03-19 09:42:18 source：CGTN
March 18, 2026
Japan is "crying thief" over China's defense budget, a Chinese Ministry of Defense spokesperson said Wednesday.
Jiang Bin, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, said Japan is looking for a pretext for its own military expansion.
China's defense spending accounts for less than 1.5% of its GDP – significantly lower than that of major military powers like the US, and below the global average and NATO's 2% benchmark, Jiang said in response to a recent statement made by Japan's chief cabinet secretary on China's 2026 defense budget.
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