Military manpower-reaching military age annually: males: 9,553,823 (1998 est.)
Military expenditures-dollar figure: the officially announced 1998 figure is 91 billion yuan, but China's defense expenditures are almost certainly two to three times the announced budget; note-conversion of the defense budget into US dollars using the current exchange rate could produce misleading results
Military expenditures-percent of GDP: NA%
@China:Transnational Issues
Disputes-international: boundary with India in dispute; two disputed sections of the boundary with Russia remain to be settled; most of the boundary with Tajikistan in dispute; 33-km section of boundary with North Korea in the Paektu-san (mountain) area is indefinite; involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; maritime boundary dispute with Vietnam in the Gulf of Tonkin; Paracel Islands occupied by China, but claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan; claims Japanese-administered Senkaku-shoto (Senkaku Islands/Diaoyu Tai), as does Taiwan; sections of land border with Vietnam are indefinite
Illicit drugs: major transshipment point for heroin produced in the
Golden Triangle; growing domestic drug abuse problem
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CHRISTMAS ISLAND
(territory of Australia)
@Christmas Island:Geography