Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wang Yi gave responses to some guesses about China's military spending in the outside world when he delivered a speech at the Japan Defense University recently, according to the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said China's military outlay is open and transparent, and also the transparency concerning China's armaments is on a continuous increase.

Wang Yi said some have made irresponsible remarks, claiming that China's military expenditures are two to three times than the actual figures it announced at the present. As for the guessing, he said if things were like they are, the proportion of the military spending would reach 20 per cent of the total fiscal expenses of China. Then, "it will be inconceivable and unbearable for China's economic construction and the national finance, even the Americans cannot believe in this".

Targeting the outside guessing about China's military expenses, Wang Yi noted that "there are different military establishments in various countries". For example, in some Western nations, some expenditure, such as technology research and development, space exploitation and nuclear development for dual military and civilian purposes, are not directly counted as military expenses. He said, "China's military spending is approved by the National People's Congress, so it is open and transparent".

Some comments outside take for granted that it is not enough transparent for China's military weaponry. For this, Wang Yi said, "The transparency on China's armaments is on repeated increase. He said for China, they are all open in the areas of security and environment assessment, military strategy, structure of military power, management system, military diplomacy, and the total amount of military spending and its basic formation. Besides, China has delivered four national defense reports and two white papers on "disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation". The related work on white paper has been on the way to institutionalization, systematization and standardization. Furthermore, each of the new reports will have information growth in a big margin.

He stressed it must be stated that "transparency is not absolute". It is impossible to be the same on the issue of transparency since there are different concerns about military power and security for various nations. He said it is noteworthy that China opened its strategic missile headquarters to US defense secretary who paid his recent visit to China.

He made an explanation about the faster growth for Chinese military expenditures in recent years. He said the factors mainly include compensation expenditure, raising salaries for army personnel, adaptation to the trends of world's military reforms and a moderate increase of armament spending.

By People's Daily Online