China vs Vietnam
China vs Vietnam: Military spending in US dollars
Military spending in US dollars in 2025: $335B in China and $10.9B in Vietnam, by SIPRI estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in China, by $324B, or 31 times that in Vietnam.
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 Vietnam ranked 32 of 151 countries, counting from the highest.
Every year
US dollars at 2024 prices · SIPRI
| Year | China | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $335B | $10.9B |
| 2024 | $312B | $8.59B |
| 2023 | $292B | $8.12B |
| 2022 | $274B | $7.31B |
| 2021 | $263B | $7.96B |
| 2020 | $256B | $7.73B |
| 2019 | $244B | $8.03B |
| 2018 | $233B | $7.69B |
| 2017 | $220B | $7.32B |
| 2016 | $207B | $7.34B |
| 2015 | $196B | $7.2B |
| 2014 | $182B | $6.51B |
| 2013 | $168B | $6.58B |
| 2012 | $156B | $5.99B |
| 2011 | $141B | $4.11B |
| 2010 | $132B | $3.96B |
| 2009 | $125B | $4.23B |
| 2008 | $103B | $3.06B |
| 2007 | $94.4B | $3.24B |
| 2006 | $85.9B | $2.51B |
| 2005 | $74.6B | $2.13B |
| 2004 | $68B | $2.05B |
| 2003 | $61.7B | $2B |
| 2002 | $57B | – |
| 2001 | $49.6B | – |
| 2000 | $41.9B | – |
| 1999 | $38.7B | – |
| 1998 | $31.7B | – |
| 1997 | $29.1B | – |
| 1996 | $27.2B | – |
| 1995 | $25.7B | – |
| 1994 | $24.8B | $1.08B |
| 1993 | $25.7B | $793M |
| 1992 | $28B | $1.01B |
| 1991 | $23B | $1.6B |
| 1990 | $21.6B | $2.25B |
| 1989 | $19.9B | $1.89B |
| 1988 | – | $1.43B |
| 1987 | – | $884M |
- 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 Vietnam
Health
- Life expectancyChina: 78 years in 2023Vietnam: 74.6 years in 2023
- Child mortalityChina: 0.6 per 100 live births in 2024Vietnam: 1.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityChina: 5.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023Vietnam: 15.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionChina: 3.31% in 2017Vietnam: 2.88% in 2017
- Suicide rateChina: 7.2 per 100,000 people in 2017Vietnam: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationChina: 1.42 billion people in 2023Vietnam: 100 million people in 2023
- Population growthChina: -0.24% a year in 2023Vietnam: 0.64% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateChina: 1 births per woman in 2023Vietnam: 1.91 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationChina: 66.3% in 2025Vietnam: 38.8% in 2025
- Median ageChina: 39.1 years in 2023Vietnam: 32.4 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overChina: 14.3% in 2023Vietnam: 8.6% in 2023
- Net migration rateChina: -0.4 per 1,000 people in 2023Vietnam: -0.8 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingChina: 1.73% of GDP in 2025Vietnam: 2.15% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending per personChina: $237 in 2025Vietnam: $104 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingChina: 5.1% of government spending in 2025Vietnam: 9.9% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelChina: 2.54 million people in 2020Vietnam: 522,000 people in 2020
- National powerChina: 23.41% of world capability in 2022Vietnam: 1.11% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersChina: 0.33% of the labour force in 2020Vietnam: 0.95% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsChina: 207 million TIV in 2025Vietnam: 177 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsChina: 880 million TIV in 2025Vietnam: 10 million TIV in 2018