Beijing. China pledged more support to its military on Sunday (05/03) including strengthening maritime and air defenses amid efforts to safeguard sovereignty, but unusually did not give spending figures for 2017 despite promises of transparency.

Parliament's spokeswoman said on Saturday defense spending for this year would rise about 7 percent, though provided no other details.

However, the actual defense spending target for this year was not included in the country's budget released at the opening of parliament's annual session on Sunday, as it has been in previous years.

"We will support efforts to deepen the reform of national defense and the armed forces, with the aim of building a solid defense and strong armed forces that are commensurate with China's international standing and are suited to our national security and development interests," the budget report said.

It did not elaborate.

State news agency Xinhua also did not report the figure. The Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It was not clear why the number was not released. China has repeatedly said its defense spending is transparent.

Last year, with the economy slowing, the defense budget recorded its lowest increase in six years, 7.6 percent, the first single-digit rise since 2010, following a nearly unbroken two-decade run of double-digit increases.

China's military build-up has rattled nerves around the region, particularly because it has taken an increasingly assertive stance in its territorial disputes in the East China Sea, the South China Sea and over Taiwan, which China claims as its own.

Giving his annual work report to parliament, Premier Li Keqiang said China would deepen military reforms.

"We will strengthen maritime and air defense as well as border controls and ensure the important operations related to countering terrorism, safeguarding stability, international peacekeeping and providing escorts on the high seas as well organized," he said.

"We will boost military training and preparedness, so as to ensure that the sovereignty, security, and development interests are resolutely and effectively safeguarded."

The defense budget figure for last year, 954.35 billion yuan ($138.40 billion), likely understates its investment, according to diplomats, though the number is closely watched around the region and in Washington for clues to China's intentions.

A 7 percent rise for this year based on last year's budget would bring the figure to 1.02 trillion yuan, still only a quarter or so of the United States defense budget.

The White House has proposed a 10 percent increase in military spending to $603 billion, even though the United States has wound down major wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and is already the world's pre-eminent military power.

There were calls last week for China to announce a commensurate rise in defense spending for this year.

"As far as our development is concerned, defense spending is not enough," Wang Ning, commander the paramilitary People's Armed Police, told reporters on the sidelines of parliament. "Such a large country is facing so many security issues." while documents were being prepared to transport the body, said Sobejana, commander of the Joint Task Force Sulu.

The Philippines and Germany have condemned Kantner's beheading by the militants who posted a video of the killing after a deadline for a $600,000 ransom passed.

The 70-year-old German, who had been held on the tiny southern island of Jolo, had appealed for help twice in short video messages, saying he would be killed if ransom was not paid.

President Rodrigo Duterte has apologized to Germany for failing to save Kantner while insisting that ransoms should not be paid.

The Philippine military has vowed to bring Kantner's killers to justice and to continue operations to free other hostages held by Abu Sayyaf, which had raised tens of millions of dollars from piracy and ransom payments.

Reuters