China will raise its defense budget by 7.2 percent this year, despite ongoing economic challenges. Security experts suggest that this increase to strengthen the military reflects China's growing ambition for global expansion.
On March 5, China announced a military budget of around 1.78 trillion yuan ($24.66 billion) for 2025, marking a 7.2 percent increase. This is the fourth year straight that China’s military spending has risen by more than 7 percent.
China's military budget has made it the world's second-largest spender, after the United States, which is set to allocate $850 billion for its 2025 defense budget.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang, announced in his March 5 government policy report that China will step up military training and combat readiness to firmly safeguard its sovereignty, security, and development interests.
However, Chen Shihmin, an associate professor at the Department of Political Science at National Taiwan University, believes that there are no major regional security threats to China.
Amid China’s economic downturn, Chen told NTD that CCP leader Xi Jinping's current policy direction clearly contradicts the public’s economic concerns. "This is clearly not what they want to see. What matters most to them is social welfare protection, whether they can find a job, and whether their salaries will be cut," Chen said.
He added, "Right now, China faces no major security threats. As long as China isn’t starting wars or threatening other countries, no one is going to attack. But even with a relatively safe and stable environment, China is still ramping up its military power, and that’s definitely causing concern and tension with its neighbors."
Chung Chih-tung, an assistant research fellow at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that because the CCP’s 2025 policy focuses on enhancing training and war readiness, "It reflects [China’s] preparations for potential conflicts in the East China Sea, Taiwan Strait, and South China Sea.”
In response to China’s budget hike, Taiwan urged the regime to exercise “reason and self-restraint.”
In a news release, Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army continued to increase defense spending and expressed aggressiveness with its combat preparedness patrols near Taiwan.
It said that China’s military drills in the seas off Taiwan, Vietnam, New Zealand, and Australia have compromised navigational safety and raised tension in the region, sparking international concern.
“The government would not bow to pressure, and it would maintain its firm resolve to defend national sovereignty and security,” said the MAC.
Chung said that MAC’s statement signals Taiwan’s willingness to engage in dialogue with China and work towards peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region. He emphasized that China should avoid actions that cause harm without any clear benefit, warning that using force against Taiwan would pose significant risks with unpredictable consequences.
“This is a wake-up call for Taiwan and the international community—China is the biggest threat to regional security," Chung added.
On Feb. 27, China’s defense ministry called drills near Taiwan’s coast "routine" and urged the island to stop complaining after Taiwan reported increased Chinese military activity in the region.