As per SIPRI, the US is by far the world’s biggest spender with a defence budget estimated at US$778 billion last year while China was a distant second with an estimated defence expenditure of US$252 billion.

China has by far the world’s largest military, with 2 million active personnel in 2019, according to the latest defence white paper, while the Pentagon’s budget request for the next financial year says there are around 1.35 million active US military personnel and 800,000 in its reserve.

The PLA’s land army is the world’s largest standing ground force with 915,000 active-duty troops, almost twice the US figure of 486,000 personnel, according to the Pentagon’s 2020 China Military Power Report.

America maintains its edge with more than 13,000 military aircraft, 5,163 of which are operated by the US Air Force. Its forces include the F-35 Lightning and F-22 Raptor, which are among the most advanced combat jets in the world. China’s aviation force – made up of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force and People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force – is the third-largest in the world with more than 2,500 aircraft, of which around 2,000 are combat aircraft.

China now has the world’s largest navy, with about 360 ships compared with the US fleet of 297, according to a US Congressional report. But China’s numerical advantage is down to smaller vessels, such as coastal patrol ships. When it comes to larger warships the United States has the advantage in numbers, technology and experience. For example, the US has 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, which can cruise over greater distances than conventionally powered ones. The carriers are able to accommodate 60 or more aircraft each. In comparison, China has just two carriers – the Liaoning and Shandong.

(Via SCMP)