Xinhua published a series of articles in the past few days defending the increases in China’s defense budget and further elaborating on how China feels about the speculation from the West over the lack of transparency in the defense budget.
One of the articles cited: “There is an unwritten rule that exists among US intelligent agencies that China’s publicized defense budget only accounts for half or one third of the actual spending. Therefore, the more information we share, more speculation it would bring. … Apparently, China’s defense budget has become their targeted topic.”
On September 5, Japan issued the 2008 Defense White Paper, in which, it named China for lack of transparency in its military spending.
Source: Xinhua, September 9, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2008-09/09/content_9872294.htm