A sinologist told whether China is coping with the arms race against the US

China does not have even remotely the level of militarization of the economy that the USSR had or the USA now has. China’s military spending, even taking into account hidden costs, does not exceed two percent of GDP. In the USA, this figure is about 3.6, and in some years it exceeded four percent. There are different estimates for the Soviet Union, but in general it spent 10% – 12% of GDP on defense. That is, the level of military tension in the Celestial Empire’s economy is very low – even in comparison with some NATO countries , – the sinologist believes.

According to the expert, the Chinese manufacturing industry already surpasses not just the American one, but the American and Japanese ones combined.

With such a huge base, the Chinese can increase production without much effort, Kashin concluded.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs reported that the United States has seriously lagged behind China in the military-industrial complex, while the Chinese defense industry is growing rapidly, despite China’s economic problems.

It is noted that China has caught up with the United States in arms production, but left them far behind in shipbuilding. Thus, Chinese production capacity in this industry is 230 times greater than the American one, the American publication writes: China has produced over 400 new fighters and 20 large warships, and has also approximately doubled its stockpile of nuclear warheads and missiles from 2021 to early 2024.