BEIJING—China plans to boost its military spending by 7.2% this year, the government said Sunday, accelerating its military buildup as tensions rise with the U.S. and its allies over Taiwan.
Total military expenditures this year will reach the equivalent of about $224 billion, according to a draft budget report issued at the opening of the annual gathering of China’s National People’s Congress. That growth rate would be the fastest since 2019 and exceeds Beijing’s target for gross domestic product growth this year.