Reference News Network August 9 report - According to AFP, August 8 report, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed on August 8 that Canada will allocate 5% of its national wealth for defense and reiterated the 2% target set by NATO and the United States for fiscal year 2025.
As he stated when he took office in April and again in June, Trudeau also confirmed that, given the "threats" faced, Ottawa will increase military budget spending by 900 million Canadian dollars (approximately 4.7 billion Chinese yuan).
On August 8, during a speech at a military base, Trudeau emphasized: "The international order established after World War II and reshaped after the Cold War is under pressure." He lamented: "For too long, we have taken security for granted."
Trudeau once again mentioned the risk of Russia launching an attack in the Arctic region and the uncertainty brought by the neighboring country United States, led by President Trump. Trump has repeatedly stated that Canada should become the 51st state of the United States.
Like his predecessors, Trump demands that NATO allies spend at least 2% of their gross domestic product on defense and aim to reach 5% by 2035. Otherwise, Washington may refuse to protect countries that do not meet the defense spending requirements.
According to data from NATO in April, Canada's military budget accounted for 1.45% of its GDP in 2024. Among the 32 NATO member states, 22 have met the 2% threshold.
Trudeau reiterated that Canada will meet the 2% target this year, and that "new military investments" should enable it to "reach 5% of GDP by 2035, over the next decade."
Specifically, Trudeau announced a funding of 200 million Canadian dollars to raise the salaries of all soldiers. These funds are part of the new 900 million Canadian dollar investment plan, which mainly focuses on purchasing armored vehicles, drones, and other military equipment. (Translation by Lin Xiaoxuan)
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7536453979316732452/
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