china announced that its military spending will increase at the highest pace in four years, warning of an "escalation" of external threats.

The announcement of this increase came in the second largest military budget in the world, after Beijing set its goal of achieving economic growth of 5 percent this year, which is the lowest level of Chinese growth in several decades.

China's budget plan for this fiscal year indicated an increase in military spending to $225 billion, an increase of about 7.2 percent.

Outgoing Prime Minister Li Keqiang told parliament that "external attempts to suppress and contain China have escalated" in the recent period.

the armed forces must intensify military training and increase readiness at all levels," he added, while reviewing the annual report on government work in front of thousands of deputies who gathered in the large hall of the Chinese parliament