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Military power of European Union EU & China

European Union EU vs China

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European Union EU China

The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union countries that are located in Europe with an area of 4,233,255 km² The capital of Ukraine is Brussels. The number of inhabitants estimated is about 447 million. Members of EU: Germany, Latvia, France, Lithuania, Estonia, Portugal, Belgium, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Sweden, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.

The European Union were not devised as a military alliance because most of the members are in the North Atlantic Alliance. Since the withdrawal of the UK, France is the only member recognised as a nuclear weapon state. Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium participate in NATO nuclear sharing.

China is a country located in Eastern Asia with an area of 9,596,961 km² (land boundries: 22,457 km and costline 14,500 km). The capital of China is Beijing. The number of inhabitants is 1,444,390,177.

The People's Liberation Army is the military arm of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, which oversees the PLA through its Central Military Commission. The PLA is outfitted primarily with a wide mix of older and modern domestically-produced systems heavily influenced by technology derived from other countries. Russia is the main supplier military equipment outside the domestic industry.

More about China military

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Military expenditures

Military budget

300.8 billion $

408 billion $

Percent of GDP

0 %

1.7 %

Manpower

Active personnel

1,298,969

2,035,000

Reserve personnel

1,750,132

2,000,000

Available for military

95,200,088

385,821,101

Land Forces

Tanks

4,278

6,100

Armoured fighting vehicles

30,594

15,880

Total artillery

6,219

6,890

Self-propelled artillery

1,864

3,390

Rocket artillery

682

3,000

Air Forces

Total aircraft

5,392

5,225

Fighter

416

837

Multirole

946

1,498

Attack

111

254

Helicopters

2,330

1,223

UCAV (combat drone)

61

160

Navy

Total naval

1,385

762

Aircraft carriers

7

6

Destroyers

17

50

Frigates

78

47

Corvettes

23

72

Submarines

48

72

Nuclear weapons

European Union EU

Data not available

China

The last of five nuclear-weapon states under the NPT, which at this moment possesses approximately 280 nuclear warheads in total. Nevertheless, the number of deployed bombs is unknown. The first test that occurred to be successful occurred in 1964. The main goal of Chinese was to build a deterrent against two major nuclear powers, namely The United States as well as The Soviet Union. The nation decided to choose dried lake for the nuclear site, Lop Nur. Although China developed and tested its first atomic device only in 1964, they managed to test their first hydrogen bomb only 32 months later. As a result, they can boast with the shortest period between developing fission and fusion technology.

China managed to conduct 45 tests of nuclear weapons. Still, the data regarding the stockpile of accumulated warheads is uncertain. The same thing concerns the number of deployed warheads. It is all due to the limited information that the country provides. We should also bear in mind that they are the only country out of five nuclear-weapon states under the NPT that does not give a positive security assurance.

Military service

European Union EU

Data not available

China

18-24 years of age for selective compulsory military service, with a 2-year service obligation; no minimum age for voluntary service (all officers are volunteers); 18-19 years of age for women high school graduates who meet requirements for specific military jobs; a recent military decision allows women in combat roles.