UK PM Rishi Sunak's £5 billion promise to military amid Russia, China threats

United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on 13 March 2023 vowed to increase military funding by £5 billion, or $6 billion, over the next 2 years. Sunak cited Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the "epoch-defining challenge" posed by China.

The PM said that UK would increase its military spending from 2% to 2.5% of the GDP "in the longer term". Military chiefs want it to rise to 3% of GDP.

The extra money will be used, in part, to replenish Britain's ammunition stocks, depleted from supplying Ukraine in its defense against Russia. Some will also go towards a U.K.-U.S.-Australia deal to build nuclear-powered submarines.

Concern about Beijing's activities has sparked a government-wide catch-up campaign on China, including Mandarin-language training for British officials and a push to secure new sources of critical minerals that are essential to technology.

The review doesn't brand China itself a threat to the U.K., and Sunak has stressed the need for economic ties with China, to the annoyance of more hawkish members of the governing Conservative Party.

(With agency inputs)

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