BEIJING, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- China will speed up the modernization of its armed forces in the next five years, Chinese President Hu Jintao told the 17th Communist Party Congress Monday.
He said the modernization will include building computerized armed forces and winning IT-based warfare.
“We must implement the military strategy for the new period, accelerate the revolution in military affairs with Chinese characteristics, ensure military preparedness and enhance the military's capability to respond to various security threats and accomplish diverse military tasks,” the Chinese leader said in his inaugural address to the congress, China’s most important political event.
He said China’s military policy is defensive in nature and it doesn't represent an arms race or pose a military threat to any other country, Xinhua news agency reported.
In August, Hu assured the military it would have higher budgets as the country enjoys double-digit economic growth.
China’s military spending, which grew by 17.8 percent this year to $46.4 billion, has become a major international concern following incidents such as the knocking out of an orbiting satellite with an anti-satellite weapon last January.
