Ministry of National Defense: Japan Hypes Up China's Defense Spending Budget as an Excuse for Military Buildup

People’s Financial News, March 18 — On the afternoon of March 18, Major General Jiang Bin, Deputy Director of the Information Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense and spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, issued a statement regarding recent military-related issues.
Reporter: After the 2026 Chinese defense budget was announced, the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan stated that China continues to increase its defense spending at a high level, and in the absence of transparency, it is widely and rapidly strengthening its military forces. Some foreign media comment that China’s defense expenditure has been growing for consecutive years, gradually widening the military gap with other regional countries. What is your comment on this?
Jiang Bin: Regarding China’s 2026 defense budget, we have already released detailed information. Its scale, structure, and purpose are open and transparent, and there is nothing to criticize. China’s defense spending as a percentage of GDP has long been below 1.5%, far lower than major military powers like the United States, and also below the global average and the NATO countries’ military expenditure, which generally exceeds 2% of GDP. The growth of China’s defense budget reflects a consistent pattern of rationality, moderation, and restraint. It is entirely driven by the need to defend national sovereignty, security, and development interests, and to maintain world peace and stability. The stronger the Chinese military, the more secure world peace will be.
Japanese politicians’ hype about China’s defense budget and the so-called “China threat” is clearly a case of crying wolf, providing an excuse for Japan’s military expansion and armament ambitions. Based on Japan’s history of aggression, a series of internationally legally binding documents such as the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Declaration, and Japan’s surrender documents explicitly stipulate that Japan should be completely disarmed and not maintain industries that could enable rearmament. It should be pointed out that Japan’s defense budget has increased for 14 consecutive years, with an increase of over 60% in the past five years, and its defense expenditure as a percentage of GDP has reached 2%. Japan’s per capita defense expenditure is more than three times that of China. Japan is desperately trying to break free from the constraints of the “Pacifist Constitution,” far exceeding the scope of “self-defense only,” developing and deploying offensive weapons, and seeking “re-militarization” under the shadow of unresolved invasion crimes. This is the real threat to regional peace and stability.
We urge Japan to look in the mirror, stop distorting facts and slandering, and not to walk further down the path of militarism and remilitarization.