China Military Spending
Military expenditure as % of GDP MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS
Overview
China's military spending stood at 1.66% in 2025, a decline of +0.05% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 1.66% by 2025. China ranked 73rd globally.
Data & projection
| Year | Military Spending | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027* trend | 1.66% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 1.66% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 1.66% | - | - |
| 2025 | 1.66% | −0.05% | #73 |
| 2024 | 1.71% | +0.05% | #76 |
| 2023 | 1.66% | +0.03% | #85 |
| 2022 | 1.63% | +0.03% | #90 |
| 2021 | 1.61% | −0.15% | #88 |
| 2020 | 1.76% | +0.07% | #89 |
| 2019 | 1.68% | +0.01% | #89 |
| 2018 | 1.67% | −0.04% | #94 |
| 2017 | 1.71% | −0.06% | #95 |
| 2016 | 1.77% | −0.01% | #98 |
| 2015 | 1.78% | +0.04% | #100 |
| 2014 | 1.74% | +0.02% | #92 |
| 2013 | 1.71% | +0.01% | #97 |
| 2012 | 1.70% | +0.04% | #96 |
| 2011 | 1.66% | −0.07% | #89 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
China matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2013. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw military spending improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Regional military developments, including Chinese media reports on Japan's potential nuclear capabilities and Japan's deployment of long-range missiles, along with increased US attention on Taiwan, present a dynamic security landscape
Frequently Asked Questions
China's military spending was 1.66% in 2025. Ranked 73rd globally. This represents a 2.7% decrease from the previous year.
China's military spending peaked at 2.45% in 1990.
The lowest military spending in China was 1.61% in 2021.
China ranks 73rd globally in military spending as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
China's military spending is projected to reach 1.66% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The military spending of China in 2025 was 1.66%. This ranks 73rd in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_china_military-spending,
title = {China Military Spending},
url = {https://historysaid.com/china/military-spending},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}