British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak vowed on Monday to increase British military funding by 5 billion pounds ($6 billion) over the next two years in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the “historic challenge” posed by China.
The increase, which is part of a major review of British foreign and defense policy, falls short of what military commanders were asking for. Sunak said Britain will increase military spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product “in the long term” but did not set a date.. Britain now spends just over 2% of its GDP on defence, a figure that military commanders wanted to raise to 3%.
The extra money will be used in part to replenish Britain’s ammunition stockpiles, depleted by supplies sent to Ukraine for its defense against Russia. Another part will go towards an agreement between Britain, the United States and Australia to build nuclear submarines.
Sunak was scheduled to meet with US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in San Diego on Monday to confirm the next steps of his military pact, known as AUKUSreached by the three countries in 2021 amid growing concerns about China’s activity in the Pacific.
The latest British defense, security and foreign policy framework, known as the Integrated Review, was done in 2021. The government mandated updating it in response to growing global instability.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 upended European security. In addition, London is increasingly concerned about what the government defines as “the historic challenge posed by the increasingly worrying military, financial and diplomatic activity of the Chinese Communist Party.”
British intelligence agencies have raised concerns about China’s military might, its covert activities and its economic influence. Ken McCallum, head of the MI5 domestic spy agency, said in November that “The activities of the Chinese Communist Party pose the most decisive strategic challenge for Britain.”
That concern has prompted a general government campaign focused on China, including training British officials to learn Mandarin and an effort to secure new sources of key minerals needed for technology.
Sunak has also stressed the need for economic ties with Beijing, much to the anger of more belligerent members of the Conservative Party he leads.
Speaking during his trip to the United States, Sunak said that China “poses a historic challenge to us and to the world order. It is an increasingly authoritarian regime at home and assertive abroad, and it has a desire to transform the world order.”.
However, he noted, “China cannot be ignored” given the size of its economy.
“It is good to deal with China, on the issues where we can find common ground and make a difference, for example climate change, global health, macroeconomic stability,” he said.
“That is the right strategy, at the same time as being very firm in defending our values and our interests,” he added.
(with information from AP)
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Source-www.infobae.com