China gives more money for defense, launches two new cruisers
BEIJING, (BM) – China does not intend to stop the growth of its defense forces, BulgarianMilitary.com has learned. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang guaranteed this in a speech to the country’s legislature.
- US General: ‘If we slow down, China will dominate the air’
- Is China ending the production of key fighter jets?
- Chinese spy submarines use drones to pave the way for future operations
Beijing will increase military defense spending by 6.8 percent to nearly $ 208.6 billion for fiscal 2021. In 2020, China did the same, then increasing its military spending by almost 6.6 percent. This and last year’s increase show consistency in the actions of the Chinese Communist Party, which leads the country.
The new military budget of the “celestial empire” will continue to be spent on modernizing the army and the army training. According to Li Keqiang, China is beginning to attract even more technological and industrial capabilities to integrate them into defense research projects. However, details on this area of Chinese military development have not been provided.
What to expect from China?
2020 was a year in which the Chinese People’s Liberation Army was often present in news programs. In the middle of the year, armed clashes with the Indian army in the high peaks of the Himalayas were on the verge of leading to a vast military conflict.
Although relations in the disputed areas with India normalized in a month or two, and despite the non-use of weapons in hand-to-hand combat, soldiers on both sides were killed.
China continues to exert political and military pressure on Taiwan. The PLA conducted military and paramilitary exercises in the East and South China Seas. These exercises were skillfully accompanied by a gradual and planned modernization of almost the entire Chinese navy. This modernization continues continuously at the moment.
Last but not least is the fact that Beijing is waging territorial and political disputes with other Asian countries.
Satellite images revealed two new cruisers
Without using a specialized spy satellite, the world has developed the existence of two new cruisers in the Chinese navy. Google Earth showed their image, and military experts immediately concluded that they were of class 055, type Renhai.
The Google Earth software found the two new cruisers at a naval base near Sanya on Hainan Island’s perimeter in the South China Sea. This fact means that Beijing remains to launch the third ship of the same project, as the Government included so many in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s plans.
Cruisers of this class are considered precision and first-class warships, each armed with 128 vertical launch systems. They are armed with cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, and surface-to-air missiles. The ships are equipped with 3D radars with a phased array, various sensitive sensors, and electronic warfare systems.
Similar 10,000-ton ships, but of a different type, are currently being built in China. According to foreign intelligence, Beijing is building eight 10,000 tons of ships – cruisers, aircraft carriers, Anfibia ships, etc.
Will China’s threat lead to increased arms sales?
There is a similar theory that is likely to become a practice. U.S. Admiral Philip Davidson told reporters, quoted by Defense News, that the United States should help and encourage Taiwan to defend itself against the Chinese threat.
“And I would say, you know, for the greater U.S. government – consistent arms sales to Taiwan to help in this deterrence strategy is critically important. And again, that takes a balance to capabilities to go to them,” he said.
The United States and China are stepping up their military presence in the Taiwan region. Such a statement finds its logic in the fact that China is increasingly pressing Taiwan with military scientists near the point that it is considered the “border just before the invasion of the island.”
The U.S. Navy is seeking $ 4.6 billion in funding in 2022, which should increase to four times by 2027. This money should ensure stronger ties between the United States and partners in the Asia-Pacific region in the future.
***
Follow us everywhere and at any time. BulgarianMilitary.com has responsive design and you can open the page from any computer, mobile devices or web browsers. For more up-to-date news from us, follow our Google News, YouTube, Reddit, LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook pages. Subscribe and read our stories in News360App in AppStore or GooglePlay or in FeedlyApp in AppStore or GooglePlay.