中国国防预算或继续增加

China's defense budget this year will rise about 10 percent compared with 2017, a top government official said on Wednesday, outpacing the slowing economy as the country ramps up investment in high-tech equipment such as submarines and stealth jets.

据中国政府高层官员周三（3月4日）表示，2017年中国国防预算将比去年增加10%左右。中国在潜艇、隐形战机等尖端武器装备的投入使其国防预算增速超过了正在放缓的经济增速。

Parliament spokeswoman Fu Ying told a news conference that the actual figure would be released on Thursday, when the annual session of the National People's Congress opens. Last year, defense spending rose 12.2 percent to $130 billion, second only to the United States.

人大发言人傅莹在资讯发布会上表明，实际数字将会在周四全国人大会议开幕时公布。中国去年国防支出增长12.2%，达到1300亿美元，增速仅次于美国。

The military build-up has jangled nerves around the region, particularly as China has taken an increasingly robust line on its territorial disputes in the East and South China Seas.

中国军事力量的发展一直牵动着周边国家地区的神经，尤其中国在东海和南海领土争端上采取了更加强硬的立场。

"Compared with great powers, the road ofChina's defense modernization is more difficult. We have to rely on ourselves for most of our military equipment and research and development," Fu said.

“中国国防现代化的路，在大国中，走得应该还是比较艰难的，大部分的军事装备研发，都要靠自己。”傅莹说。

"In addition, we must strengthen the protection of our officers and soldiers. But fundamentally speaking,China's defense policy is defensive in nature. This is clearly defined in the constitution. We will not easily change this direction and principle."

“另外，我们广大官兵的保障还需要不断加强，但是从根本上讲，中国国防政策是防御性的，这个在宪法明确规定的。这个方向原则，我们不会轻易改变。”

While Beijing keeps the details of its military spending secret, experts have said additional funding would likely go towards beefing up the navy with anti-submarine ships and developing more aircraft carriers beyond the sole vessel in operation.

中国政府没有公开国防开支细节，但有专家认为，增加的国防经费可能会用于加强海军力量，增加反潜艇和研发更多的航空母舰，中国目前只有一艘现役的航母。

"Carriers have definitely got to be on the list," said John Blaxland, Senior Fellow at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University in Canberra.

澳大利亚国立大学战略与防卫研究中心高级研究员约翰·莱克斯兰指出：“航母一定会在清单上。”

"But also we've seen a massive surge in the number of submarines, and of course everybody loves submarines. The intimidatory effect of a submarine is hard to be beat."

“但我们也看到了潜艇数量的剧增。当然，每个人都喜欢潜艇。潜艇的威慑作用是难以比拟的。”

Money would also likely go into cyber capabilities and satellites, Blaxland added.

莱克斯兰补充说道，经费也可能用于发展网络作战能力和卫星。

China's leaders have routinely sought to justify the country's military modernization by linking defense spending to rapid GDP growth. But growth of 7.4 percent last year was the slowest in 24 years, and a further slowdown to around 7 percent is expected in 2017.

中国领导以往通常解释，GDP（国内生产总值）快速增长，那么增加国防开支，推动军事现代化在情理之中。然而，中国去年GDP仅增长了7.4%，为24年以来最低，预计2017年GDP增速将滑落至7%左右。

"We have achieved so much success with reform and opening up, we have not relied on gunboats to develop roads, but instead we have relied on complete and mutual beneficial cooperation," Fu said.

“我们改革开放这么多年，取得了这么大的成就，我们不是靠炮舰开路去开拓经贸的，而是完全靠互利互惠的合作。”傅莹说。

"We have been successful on this road, the road of peaceful development. We will adhere to the path of peaceful development."

“这条道路，和平发展的道路，我们走的是成功的，我们今后会继续坚持走和平发展的道路。”

The US military and diplomatic "rebalancing" towards Asia and President Xi Jinping's crackdown on corruption in the People's Liberation Army, which has caused some disquiet in the ranks, are among the other factors that have kept military spending high, experts have said.

专家认为，美国军事、外交上重返亚洲的“再平衡”战略，习近平主席在人民解放军军队中的反腐斗争，也是军费开支持续增加的原因。

Beijing also says it faces a threat from Islamist militants in the far western region of Xinjiang, and is drafting a new anti-terror law that will create a legal framework for sending troops abroad on counter-terrorism missions.

中国政府还提到，中国面临着新疆伊斯兰激进分子的威胁。中国正在起草新的反恐法，为反恐部队海外派遣建立法律框架。

Vocabulary

defense budget：国防预算

stealth jet：隐形战机

jangle：使烦躁不安

aircraft carrier：航空母舰