China's Increasing Defense Budget Causing a Degree of Alarm: Lowe Institute

The video discusses China's significant defense budget, which is larger than the combined budgets of ASEAN, Japan, and India, causing regional concern. It highlights the modernization of the PLA and China's economic growth. Despite China's rise, its military spending is still a third of the US's. China's strategy focuses on the South China Sea to gain regional power. However, countries like Japan, Australia, and India are countering China's military growth. China's challenge lies in forming durable regional partnerships due to distrust in its intentions.

What factors contribute to the perception of China's military growth as a cause for alarm in the region?

How has China's defense budget changed from 1996 to 2018, and what does this indicate about its military modernization?

In what ways does China's military spending compare to that of the United States?

What strategies is China employing to enhance its military presence in the South China Sea?

What challenges does China face in forming durable partnerships for defense diplomacy in the region?