Defense budget rise appropriate, necessary

According to the 2008 central and local government budget report presented at the ongoing 11th National People's Congress for deliberation, China's defense spending this year is set at 417.769 billion yuan ($58.84 billion), up 17.6 percent from last year.

Like in the past few years, the publication of China's defense budget again triggered some voices of suspicion abroad: Does China need to increase defense spending, and for what purpose?

Every country increases defense spending according to its national strength and in response to defense development needs. Why should not China? We need to tell the whole world that China's growing defense spending should brook no objection and here is why.