China boosts defence budget by 12.2pc after warning military will respond if provoked

Premier Li Keqiang vowed to bolster the capabilities of the People's Liberation Army as Beijing announced double-digit growth in national defence spending.

The government will spend 808.23 billion yuan (HK$1.022 trillion) on the military this fiscal year, according to the budget presented to the National People's Congress. The spending is 12.2 per cent more than last year and slightly higher than the annual average of 10 per cent.

Addressing the session, Li vowed China would "carry out co-ordinated planning for military preparedness in all scenarios and areas".

Beijing would continue modernising the nation's armed forces to "upgrade their performance, and continue to raise their deterrence and combat capabilities in the information age".

"We will resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty, security and development interests," Li said. "We will safeguard the victory of the second world war and the post-war international order, and will not allow anyone to reverse the course of history." The PLA would develop high-technology weapons and turn China into a strong maritime nation, he said.

The government also announced it would spend 205 billion yuan on domestic security, up 6.1 per cent, and Li pledged to crack down on terrorism.

The government increased military spending by 10.7 per cent last year, and by 11.2 per cent in 2012.