BEIJING (PTI): Allaying concern over the massive rise of its defence budget, China has said it is "firm" to develop "all round strategic partnership" with India, as its media asserted that Beijing will increase military spending taking it close to that of the US.
"We pay attention to developing good neighbourly and all round strategic partnership with India. We are firm in this regard," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters on Thursday.
Qin was replying to question about concern in India over China's USD 132 billion defence budget for 2014, a 12.2 per cent rise from last year.
"The signal we have sent to our friendly neighbour India is peace and win-win cooperation," he said.
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