Beijing’s military posturing aims to assert its dominance on the global stage, particularly with the United States and Taiwan.

During its annual session of the National People’s Congress on Wednesday, Premier Li Qiang announced a 7.2% increase in defense spending for 2025.

Beijing is the second-largest military spender after the United States, and it already has the world’s largest navy.

The increase brings China’s defense budget to roughly $246 billion.