The Chinese government says the country's defense spending in 2019 will rise by 7.5 percent from last year.

Officials on Tuesday disclosed a draft budget that will be debated at the National People's Congress, the annual session of China's parliament.

The planned growth in the defense budget is smaller than last year's 8.1 percent. But total spending will still reach 1.19 trillion yuan, or about 180 billion dollars.

A spokesperson for the National People's Congress brushed aside concerns raised by the United States and others over China's military buildup.

Zhang Yesui said on Monday that the defense budget is aimed at safeguarding national sovereignty, security and territory, and will not pose a threat to other countries.

China is producing domestic aircraft carriers and introducing state-of-the-art fighter jets, under President Xi Jinping's goal to create a world-class military.

It's also said to be focusing on developing hypersonic weapons that can bypass US missile defense systems, and applying Artificial Intelligence for military purposes.

China has not provided a breakdown of its defense budget. The lack of transparency has raised concerns. Analysts say the true size of the country's defense spending is most likely larger than the official figure.

NHK