China says defence spending ‘entirely necessary’ after Putin backs mutual cuts

BEIJING: Beijing said Tuesday its defence spending was “entirely necessary” after Russian President Vladimir Putin backed a suggestion by US counterpart Donald Trump that Russia, the United States and China all cut their defence budgets in half.

Russia has massively ramped up military spending since launching its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but spending has also increased in China in recent years as tensions persist in the Asia-Pacific region.

“China has always adhered faithfully to the path of peaceful development,” foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a regular press briefing.

“Limited defence spending is entirely necessary to defend national sovereignty, security and development interests and to maintain world peace,” he said.

Lin added that China has always “persevered in coordinated economic and defence development and does not engage in arms races with any country”.

The comments come one day after a phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin, during which the two leaders discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Putin said Monday in a televised interview that Trump’s proposal for 50 percent cuts to the three countries’ defence budgets was “a good idea”, adding that he could not speak for China.

Beijing’s foreign ministry said earlier this month that the United States should “take the lead” in any reduction to military spending proposed by Trump.