According to data from the World Bank, China’s economy quadrupled in size between 2000 and 2012. Official military budgets grew even faster – from $20 billion in 2000 to $120 billion in 2013, and in reality, to at least $145 billion. In the years 1996-2015, the Chinese economy grew by 442% in real terms. Defence spending increased in real terms by 620% (an annual increase of 11%).
