China vs Malaysia
China vs Malaysia: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $335B in China and $4.55B in Malaysia, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $330B, or 74 times that in Malaysia.
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
What the numbers say
- China has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1989.
- In 2025, China ranked 2 and Malaysia ranked 50 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | China | Malaysia |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $335B | $4.55B |
| 2024 | $312B | $4.38B |
| 2023 | $292B | $3.98B |
| 2022 | $274B | $3.69B |
| 2021 | $263B | $3.59B |
| 2020 | $256B | $3.43B |
| 2019 | $244B | $3.23B |
| 2018 | $233B | $3.34B |
| 2017 | $220B | $3.66B |
| 2016 | $207B | $4.36B |
| 2015 | $196B | $4.55B |
| 2014 | $182B | $4.23B |
| 2013 | $168B | $4.2B |
| 2012 | $156B | $3.85B |
| 2011 | $141B | $4.04B |
| 2010 | $132B | $3.6B |
| 2009 | $125B | $4.12B |
| 2008 | $103B | $4.37B |
| 2007 | $94.4B | $4.27B |
| 2006 | $85.9B | $3.82B |
| 2005 | $74.6B | $3.91B |
| 2004 | $68B | $3.65B |
| 2003 | $61.7B | $3.78B |
| 2002 | $57B | $2.97B |
| 2001 | $49.6B | $2.61B |
| 2000 | $41.9B | $2.1B |
| 1999 | $38.7B | $2.31B |
| 1998 | $31.7B | $1.71B |
| 1997 | $29.1B | $2.33B |
| 1996 | $27.2B | $2.48B |
| 1995 | $25.7B | $2.57B |
| 1994 | $24.8B | $2.42B |
| 1993 | $25.7B | $2.23B |
| 1992 | $28B | $2.1B |
| 1991 | $23B | $2.12B |
| 1990 | $21.6B | $1.55B |
| 1989 | $19.9B | $1.45B |
| 1988 | – | $1.21B |
| 1987 | – | $1.86B |
| 1986 | – | $1.28B |
| 1985 | – | $1.49B |
| 1984 | – | $1.67B |
| 1983 | – | $1.81B |
| 1982 | – | $2.03B |
| 1981 | – | $2.13B |
| 1980 | – | $1.58B |
| 1979 | – | $1.27B |
| 1978 | – | $1.09B |
| 1977 | – | $1.28B |
| 1976 | – | $952M |
| 1975 | – | $922M |
| 1974 | – | $873M |
| 1973 | – | $777M |
| 1972 | – | $839M |
| 1971 | – | $851M |
| 1970 | – | $759M |
| 1969 | – | $557M |
| 1968 | – | $572M |
| 1967 | – | $552M |
| 1966 | – | $599M |
| 1965 | – | $482M |
| 1964 | – | $344M |
| 1963 | – | $246M |
| 1962 | – | $183M |
| 1961 | – | $177M |
| 1960 | – | $214M |
| 1959 | – | $232M |
| 1958 | – | $266M |
| 1957 | – | $253M |
- Estimate
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the country spends on its armed forces and defence, in constant 2024 US dollars so that years compare, by SIPRI’s count.
- Source: Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Military Expenditure Database, https://doi.org/10.55163/CQGC9685.
- Marked points are SIPRI’s own: a dot where it gives the figure as its estimate, a ring where it calls the figure highly uncertain.
- Ranks count the 151 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
China vs Malaysia
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Malaysia: 76.7 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Malaysia: 0.8 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Malaysia: 6.4 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Malaysia: 3.52% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Malaysia: 7.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Malaysia: 35.1 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Malaysia: 1.24% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Malaysia: 1.55 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Malaysia: 77.4% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Malaysia: 30.1 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Malaysia: 7.5% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Malaysia: 5.2 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Malaysia: 1.04% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Malaysia: $138 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Malaysia: 4.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Malaysia: 136,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Malaysia: 0.46% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Malaysia: 0.81% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Malaysia: 7 million TIV in 2024
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025Malaysia: 20 million TIV in 2024