China to hike defence budget by 10% this year

China will raise its defence budget by around 10% this year, a top official said today, emphasising that "lagging behind" leaves the country "vulnerable to attacks".

China's defence budget rose by 12.2% last year, riding on a multi-year run of double-digit increases.

Fu Ying, the spokeswoman for the annual session of the country's top legislature, announced the hike in the defence budget a day ahead of the Third Session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC).

She said the exact figure will be published in a budget report tomorrow.

A growth rate of about 10% could be the lowest in five years.

However, it would also be the fifth year in a row of double-digit increases, despite slowing economic growth that fell to 7.4% last year and is expected to further decline in 2015.

Fu said as a big country, China needs an army that can safeguard its national security and people.

"To tell the truth, there is still a gap between China's armed forces (and foreign counterparts) in terms of overall military equipment. We still need more time," Fu was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency.

Capital support is needed for the modernisation of China's national defence and its army, she said.

"Lagging behind leaves one vulnerable to attacks. That is a lesson we have learned from history," Fu said, adding that China's defense policy is defensive in nature.