China to raise defence spending "around 7%" - officialMarch 4, 2017 - 12:53 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - China will raise defence spending "around seven percent" this year as it guards against "outside meddling" in its disputed regional territorial claims, a top official said Saturday, March 4, in an apparent reference to Washington, AFP reports. Just days after US President Donald Trump outlined plans to raise American military spending by around 10 percent, a spokeswoman for China's parliament told reporters that future Chinese expenditures will depend on US actions in the region. "We call for a peaceful settlement through dialogue and consultation (of the territorial disputes). At the same time we need the ability to safeguard our sovereignty and interests and rights," spokeswoman Fu Ying said at a press conference ahead of the rubber-stamp parliament session. "In particular, we need to guard against outside meddling in the disputes." The annual press briefing comes a day ahead of Sunday's opening of the National People's Congress (NPC). Fu did not specify what "meddling" she was referring to, but Beijing's increasingly assertive stance towards its claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea have stirred alarm in the region and prompted criticism from Washington. The planned spending increase is in line with last year, when the government said 2016 outlays would increase by 6.5-7.0 percent. The 2016 figure marked the first time in six years that spending growth did not rise into double figures. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Get Started: An educational platform for young startuppers The Get Started program which operates in two phases is an important platform for young startuppers. Byblos Bank Armenia celebrates Students' Day with scholarship recipients YSU students who received scholarships from Byblos Bank Armenia gathered in a casual setting to meet with the Bank's CEO, Hayk Stepanyan. Azerbaijan extends Rune Vardanyan’s arrest by 5 months A court in Azerbaijan has extended the arrest of former Nagorno-Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan by five months. Armenia border residents dissatisfied with delimitation Residents Kirants are dissatisfied with the results of the delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. |