China's GDP is several times bigger[1] than Vietnam, Korea, India, and Singapore, so spending a smaller percentage is still a larger absolute amount. Even India, the closest competitor that you listed is only 1/5 as big by GDP, and in absolute terms has a smaller military.
[1] https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?order=wb...
China has always been ruled by dynasties. I don't see any specific reason why it should change under Xi. It is a wet dream of USA to bring instability to China to weaken rising dragon.
There is only one thing that reliably predicts human behavior: incentives. The incentives of the communist party are much more weakly aligned with the welfare of their people than those in democratic countries. It's as simple as that.
In the past, in order to develop a modern economy, it's been necessary for authoritarian states to relax their grip substantially. China may have found a path forward that allows them to relax substantially less than in the past, and that deeply concerns me, because it may mean that the liberalizing effects of progress are muted in that part of the world - and eventually, maybe the rest.
The exact same thing was true of the West until about 100 years ago.
"The Chinese, for example, do not count their research-and-development expenditures, the considerable amount they pay for foreign military purchases, the huge subsidies for their defense industry (which is composed mostly of enterprises owned by the state), or their spending on the Chinese coast guard despite many of their “maritime law enforcement” ships being in effect naval vessels"
https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/07/united-states-defense...
http://nationalinterest.org/feature/hy-chinas-military-budge...
http://foreignpolicy.com/2012/05/23/5-things-the-pentagon-is...
So we take the number in the middle ($150 billion) and assume it's always a 50% undercut (extremely inaccurate estimate), this will put China's 2016 budget to 1.92%*1.5=2.88%, still lower than Singapore's.
Singapore could spend it's whole GDP on the military and China can still wipe it off the face of the Earth :/
I rather think domination via trade, investment, manufacturing and economical means is more plausible because thats what they're doing right now and they have more resources and capabilities to do more.
As well, its never good to fight a land war in Asia, korea, afghanistan, vietnam, cambodia and others has demonstrated that, as from a military perspective, you would be losing lives trying to police an area where locals have a more-than-significant population advantage over you.
Modern military tactics are no longer invade via land forces with air as support but rather spread fake news via social media and watch for signs of weakness in cyber structures.
Okay, that's at least two countries that killed 10000+ of their own people since WW2.
Sorry for the whataboutism but I think how each country is perceived when spending money on military is worth discussing.
Also, if Japan was Asia raping in WW2, China is China-raping now.
That being said; between the two, China today is more like Japan during WWII than Japan today is.
The PM and his party (the LDP) in coalition with the Komeito party have been trying to push that for years, without success. Mostly because the Japanese people don't seem to support it.
And to be fair, revising Article 9 and not going on a romp through the Middle East is also an option. I can see the rationale for doing so, besides right-wing nationalism on Japan's part.
That's definitely a possibility, however removing Article 9 is seen as a threat by China and might be a tactical error. Japan hasn't had any trouble building the defense force. If anything having Article 9 in place is plausible deniability for hostilities against China.
India is a nuclear power. Then again so is the UK and Argentina still invaded, so maybe that's not so much of a deterrent.
Why should length of rule be such a large part of my opinion of him? Well, let's pick a different leader. Suppose Trump wanted to change the US Constitution so that he could remain president for an unlimited time. Would that set off alarm bells for you? It would for me.
Why would it set off alarm bells? Because that leader thinks that he needs more time in office than the rules allow, and is willing to alter the rules to do what he wants.
Also, why does he want it? One option is that he thinks that the country needs his leadership, his in particular - nobody else can do it, it has to be him. Such people have an inflated view of their own importance and competence, and a diminished sense of others' importance and competence. That often doesn't end well - the leader thinks they have no need to listed to anyone else.
The other option for "why do they think they need it" is worse - they just want the power, and are willing to remove all obstacles to get and keep it. The point of their power is to keep their power, not what is good for the country. That usually works out badly for the country.
Look to all of human history and you'll find your answer.
> BTW Japan's PM has just submitted his 2018 Military Budget and if approved would be the 6th "straight annual increase"
China's 2016 GDP was 11.2 Trillion USD and their Military budget was 1.9% or 212 Billion USD.
Japan's 2016 GDP was 4.9 Trillion USD and their Military budget was 0.9% or 44 Billion USD.
Japan spends 20% of what China does.
Part of Japan's military spending goes directly towards maintaining US Military Bases in Japan. Starting in 2019 they won't pay to maintain US bases AND their budget will be limited to 0.8% of GDP. (See your own article for reference)
Let's also not forget that Japanese constitution currently forbids them from using their military to settle international disputes.[0] In other words Japan can't attack or declare war on anyone and their military can only be used for defensive purposes.
> Can you elaborate more on why China's increasing military budget is a disturbing sign to you?
China is propping up North Korea[1] who launches ICBMs over Japan for fun.[2]
China and Russia are holding naval military exercises in Japan's backyard.[3]
China has been building up it's Navy.
China has become increasingly aggressive in territorial disputes with others.
China and Japan have a territorial dispute.[6]
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_9_of_the_Japanese_Cons...
[1] https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/12/when-will-chi...
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_North_Korean_missile_t...
[3] https://www.cnn.com/2016/09/12/asia/china-russia-south-china...
[4] https://globalsecurityreview.com/china-rapidly-bolstering-na...
[5] https://www.nytimes.com/topic/destination/chinas-territorial...
China spends a mere 1.9% of its GDP in 2016 and that number is smaller than from Vietnam, Korea, India even Singapore [0]. To me China is only trying catching up its neighbors.
BTW Japan's PM has just submitted his 2018 Military Budget and if approved would be the 6th "straight annual increase" [1].
[0]: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS?end=2...
[1]: https://thediplomat.com/2017/08/whats-in-japans-record-2018-...
Disclaimer: I'm Chinese.