China’s defence budget will rise by 7.2 percent in 2025, the same rate of increase as last year, Beijing said in a government report on Wednesday.

In its 2025 budget report, the government said it would allocate 1,784.7 trillion yuan ($245.7 billion) to defence spending, three times less than the US defence budget.

China’s military budget has been increasing for decades, in line with the country’s economic development.

The announcement comes amid recurring tensions between Beijing and Washington, and at a time when Europeans are considering significantly increasing their defence spending to counter the risks posed by US President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy, which Europeans see as a threat to their security.