China’s Xi Calls For More Military Innovation As Spending Rises

(Bloomberg) -- President Xi Jinping called on China to boost its military might via technological innovation and better coordination of the defense industry with the wider economy, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

China should accelerate its push for high-tech independence to achieve an advantage over international rivals, Xi told military delegates at the National People’s Congress on Wednesday, CCTV reported. Supply chain resilience also needs to be improved, he said.

Underscoring those objectives, the government has said it will boost defense spending by 7.2% this year, the fastest growth in four years, according to a release earlier this week. 

Xi’s latest comments come against a backdrop of tense relations with Washington. In remarks made earlier at the annual legislative meeting, Xi said the US is seeking to contain and suppress China’s development — an unusually direct criticism of the nation’s largest trading partner. 

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