By ZACHARY FRYER-BIGGS
Overall defense spending in Asia might be up, but the increases are mostly due to large troop numbers and maintenance costs, not massive investment in cutting-edge research or equipment, according to a new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The report, which analyzed official budget documents from China, India, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan from 2000-2011, found that all five countries had increased defense spending in constant dollars. China led the group, increasing total spending by 13.4 percent, followed by South Korea at 4.8 percent.
While spending increased throughout the decade, 2005 through 2011 saw the larger increases in four of the five countries.
However, despite the increases, spending per soldier, a significant measure of modernization, did not match the growth in overall spending, largely due to increased troop levels.
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