China to raise 2017 defense budget by around 7%

BEIJING, March 4 (People’s Daily) -- China will raise its defense budget by about 7 percent this year, a spokesperson for the annual session of the country’s top legislature said Saturday, compared to 7.6 percent last year.

China's defense spending will remain around 1.3 percent of its GDP, spokesperson Fu Ying said at a press conference a day before the National People’s Congress (NPC) convenes its yearly meeting.