Taiwan Estimates China Spends 40% More on Pacific Military Drills in 2024

Taiwan's armed forces estimate that China spent approximately $21 billion on military exercises in 2024 across the Taiwan Strait, East and South China Seas, and the Western Pacific, marking a nearly 40% increase from 2023. This figure, derived from Taiwan's surveillance and intelligence tracking of Chinese naval and air sorties, accounts for fuel, maintenance, personnel, and other operational costs. Chinese military activity included nearly 12,000 sorties by aircraft and over 86,000 missions by naval vessels, with significant operations near the South China Sea, East China Sea, and Taiwan Strait. While China officially reported a defense budget of about 1.67 trillion yuan ($233 billion), experts and diplomats widely believe this amount is understated, and China does not publicly detail spending allocations. Taiwan's report highlights Beijing's expanding military footprint and increasing drills, raising concerns among regional governments and Washington. Chinese authorities have not responded to requests for comment, maintaining that their military spending is transparent and non-threatening.