Kuala Lampur, Nov. 30 -- In the past few decades, defence spending of Beijing has risen steadily in absolute terms that it has transformed its military from a regional force into a formidable global power, reshaping the strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific. Although it is still below the US in percent of GDP, it is far larger in cash terms than almost every other country, even surpassing western European militaries.

The amount of money invested not just in quantity but in high-end capability: People's Liberation Army (PLA) was the second country after the United States to field an operational fifth-generation stealth fighter jet when the Chengdu J-20 entered service, signalling a qualitative leap in its air-combat and strike capabilitie...