China second-biggest military spender but US still ahead...

China has become the world's second-biggest military spender behind the United States, a Swedish peace research group said yesterday.

Global arms spending rose 4% last year, but China increased its spending by 10% to an estimated $84.9bn (£53bn) last year, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said in its annual report on world arms transfers.

"China is continuing to acquire both domestic and foreign arms as it seeks to equip its armed forces for conditions of modern informationalised' warfare," it said. Such warfare involves the use of precision weapons and high-tech information and communications technology. More...

See also:

1. Status Quo and In the army now...
2. Despite EU ban, UK sold weapons worth £13.6M to Sri Lanka...
3. Beyond the Wall; homelessness among veterans...
4. War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing...
5. Donovan and The Universal Soldier...
6. Cluster bombs: major powers refuse to ban them...