China continues to pursue a robust military modernization agenda intended to bolster its global influence as it remains engaged in territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas, according to an annual report released June 6 by the Defense Department. China's officially disclosed military budget for 2016 was $144.3 billion, though DOD reports that total Chinese military spending exceeded $180 billion during that period. "However, it is difficult to estimate actual military expenses, largely due to China's poor accounting...
