China Boosts Defense Spending by 15 Percent: China announced at its annual National People’s Congress this past weekend that it would raise military spending this year by 15 percent—to $35.1 billion, according to the Wall Street Journal. Remember last year, the International Institute for Strategic Studies said that China actually spent twice what it publicly stated.
Navy Adm. Samuel J. Paparo Jr. assumed leadership of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, succeeding Navy Adm. John Aquilino at a change of command ceremony, urging action amid China's “increasing intrusive and expansionist claims,” on May 3