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Xinhua News Agency, London, November 19 (International observation) Military spending soars at the juncture of the epidemic, Britain seeks global influence after “Brexit”
Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Dailei Yang Hairuo
British Prime Minister Johnson announced on the 19th that despite the enormous financial difficulties caused by the new crown epidemic, the British government still plans to add a total of 16.5 billion pounds (approximately 21.8 billion dollars) to the Ministry of Defense in the next four years. Cyber defense and artificial intelligence field.
This is the largest defense investment by the British government since the end of the Cold War. Analysts believe the British government’s move may create job opportunities internally through new defense projects and externally aims to cement Britain’s status as America’s “most favored military partner” and seek to increase influence. Britain’s global post-Brexit.
Pay attention to the “potential battlefield of the future”
Johnson officially announced the plan to the lower house of parliament on the same day that additional military spending will be invested at approximately 4 billion pounds per year, primarily for cutting edge technology investments, to build the UK’s world leader in defense. cyber and space, and compensate for weaknesses in the defense system.
To achieve the above goals, the UK will establish a new artificial intelligence agency, a national cyber force and a space command.
The British “Times” reported that the Space Command’s initial goal is to upgrade Britain’s satellite defense system to respond to attacks by other countries on signals from British navigation satellites and to endeavor to launch the first British rocket in 2022 .
Johnson said the defense project fueled by this investment is expected to add nearly 10,000 UK jobs each year.
In an interview with Xinhua News Agency, Professor Ian Berger from the Institute for European Studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science said it is not difficult to see from the perspective of Johnson’s defense investment plan that the network and space are “possible future battlefields” to which the British government attaches importance.
Anthony Gris, a professor at the University of Buckingham in the UK and an expert on European security issues, noted that Johnson’s emphasis on the space and cyber fields shows that the UK hopes to shed its dependence on the EU space program as soon as possible. soon as possible.
Create a “trusted ally” image
The British government said in a statement that the increase in military spending will consolidate Britain’s position as Europe’s top defense spending country and second highest defense spending country in NATO.
Analysis by “The Times” believes that this will undoubtedly increase the opportunity for Britain to lead France and continue to maintain its position as the “most favored military partner of the United States.”
The British government said that in addition to protecting territorial security and creating jobs, the defense investment plan can also “show our allies that they can always count on Britain.”
In announcing the plan, Johnson also said that since the end of the Cold War, the current international situation is “more dangerous and more competitive than ever.” Britain needs to support its allies and therefore must fully improve its defense capabilities.
Analysts believe that this substantial increase in defense spending will allow Britain to maintain its influence over America’s allies and NATO. Berg said this UK move is sure to be well received by allies, and also adds an important bargaining chip for the UK to continue to seek global influence after the “Brexit” transition period expiring later this year.
Huge expense to “match ambition”?
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace welcomed the aforementioned defense investment plan. In an interview with the British media, he said that in the last 20 to 30 years, the “ambitions” of the British Ministry of Defense have never matched defense funding, despite the British government’s defense budget in recent years. years it has been around 40 billion pounds.
British media quoted Labor Party shadow cabinet defense minister John Healy as saying that since 2010, the size of the British armed forces has shrunk by a quarter, defense spending has dropped by 8,000 million pounds and the defense budget has a “black hole” of 13 billion pounds. .
However, such a large increase in military spending has also caused widespread concern among British defense analysts. The Times quoted an analyst at the Royal Military Institute as saying that in the context of the epidemic that is seriously depleting the country’s economy and that all departments are “looking for money” from the government, national defense may play a role in public health, education and other epidemics. The strong win in the competition for funds in related fields and the four-year budget is enough to show that the Johnson administration attaches importance to the development of national defense, but “this investment is more generous than expected, which is shocking.” .
Gray said the British “Brexit” transition period is coming to an end and the possibility of a “Brexit” without a deal will increase. As a result, logistics and cooperation between the UK and the European continent will suffer. The British defense sector will also face new difficulties and frustration. “After ‘Brexit’, is the UK really prepared to risk a ‘global Britain’?”
