Beijing’s 7.2% increase in its military budget this week follows tense rhetoric from Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, who responded to the US’s new 10% tariffs by stating China was ready to fight any kind of war the US provoked. Though Lin later softened the language, the message remained clear: China is prepared for conflict if its interests are harmed. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also indicated the US was ready for war.
This exchange is happening during China’s “Two Sessions,” a period of political significance where Xi Jinping projects the party’s strength. The timing of the tariffs, especially linking them to China’s role in America’s opioid crisis, touched on sensitive historical issues. The Chinese Communist Party’s origin story includes the humiliation of the Opium Wars, when Western powers, particularly Britain, forced China into unfavorable trade conditions.
China’s military buildup reflects both its rise as a power and the lingering anxieties about its past. Like the US, China’s leadership is marked by nationalistic ambitions and territorial assertions. Despite scaling back the rhetoric slightly, Beijing’s military readiness suggests it remains focused on preparing for conflict, especially since the US became its primary military concern after the fall of the Soviet Union.
