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China Upholds Its Military Budget Rise, Rejects 'Usual Suspects' Finger-Pointing

© AP Photo / Pang Xinglei/XinhuaChinese People's Liberation Army troops. File photo
Chinese People's Liberation Army troops. File photo - Sputnik International
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Beijing's announcement of an 8.1 percent rise in defense spending for 2018 has already alarmed the US and China's immediate neighbors, including Japan and self-ruled Taiwan.

Commenting on the reaction to Chinese authorities' plans to increase the country's military spending in 2018, the state-run China Daily reported "finger-pointing from the usual suspects" and at the same time recalled that "China's military lags well behind other major countries."

"China's defense budget is neither the largest in size — it accounts for just one-fourth of the military spending of the United States — nor does it have the fastest growth rate," the newspaper pointed out.

© AP Photo / Li Tao/XinhuaIn this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping stands on a military jeep as he inspects troops of the People's Liberation Army during a military parade to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the PLA at Zhurihe training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Sunday, July 30, 2017
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping stands on a military jeep as he inspects troops of the People's Liberation Army during a military parade to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the PLA at Zhurihe training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Sunday, July 30, 2017 - Sputnik International
In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping stands on a military jeep as he inspects troops of the People's Liberation Army during a military parade to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the PLA at Zhurihe training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Sunday, July 30, 2017

It justified the rise in defense spending by China's "maritime interests being increasingly infringed upon in recent years."

"Thus seeking a stronger military is natural for it [China] to safeguard its interests and counter any threat that may materialize from the aggressive posturing of others upset by its rise," the China Daily stressed.

READ MORE: US, Allies Plan to Counter Beijing is Bilateral Response to China's Rise — Prof.

It was echoed by the Global Times, which praised Beijing for avoiding an arms race with the United States which the Chinese newspaper claimed would led to a substantial increase in China's defense spending.

"China has obviously not fallen into the mind-set of engaging in an arms race with the US. Otherwise it could totally realize double-digit increases in its defense expenditure," the newspaper underscored.

It ascribed the rise in the country's military budget to tensions in the South China Sea and plans by the US, Japan, Australia and India to form alliances.

READ MORE: China Increases Annual Defense Budget, Remains Second Biggest Economy in World

According to the Global Times, "Beijing has stuck to its own template and was not disturbed by external factors."

This image provided by CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative/DigitalGlobe shows a satellite image of Fiery Cross Reef in Spratly island chain in the South China Sea, annotated by the source to show areas where China has conducted construction work above ground during 2017 - Sputnik International
US Navy: China Militarizing South China Sea With 7 New Bases
Meanwhile, Admiral Scott Swift, commander of the US Navy's Pacific Fleet, has expressed concern over a hike in China's military budget which he said should be more transparent.

"These investments and commitment need to be taken with full transparency," Swift noted, adding that Beijing's "intent is not clearly understood."

On March 5, the state-run Chinese news agency Xinhua reported that the country's military budget would grow by 8.1 percent, up to 1.11 trillion yuan [$175 billion] in 2018.

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