Beijing, March 18 -- China on Wednesday strongly rejected Japan's criticism of its 2026 defence budget, accusing Tokyo of "misleading smearing campaigns" and cautioning it against repeating the "doomed mistake of militarism."Responding to remarks by Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, said Beijing's military spending was "transparent" and aimed solely at safeguarding national interests and global stability.
"We have released information regarding the specifics of China's 2026 defense budget, making public its size, composition, and allocation and leaving no room for doubt," Jiang said.
He said that China's defence expenditure remains "less than 1.5% of its GDP,"...