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After nearly two decades of double-digit increases in its military budget, China announced a mere 7.5 percent jump in its defense budget this year.

It was the first time since the 1980s that China's defense spending had increased by a single-digit percentage. The Chinese government maintained that while this increase will be used to enhance China's ability to meet various threats, the nation remains "committed to peaceful development and a military posture that is defensive in nature."