¡¡¡¡ The Chinese government has planned a 185.3 billion yuan budget for national defense in 2003, a 9.6 percent increase over the figure for the previous year, said Xiang Huaicheng, minister of finance, on Thursday.

¡¡¡¡Xiang made this proposal in his report on the Implementation of the Central and Local Budgets for 2002 and on the Draft Central and Local Budgets for 2003 at the First Session of the 10th National People's Congress.

¡¡¡¡The increase has been proposed with a view to adapting to changes in the international situation, safeguarding China's national security and sovereignty and territorial integrity and raising the combat effectiveness of the armed forces in fighting wars to defend the country with the use of high technology, the minister said.
(xinhua)