China issues clapback over Australia's $50 billion defence boost

The Chinese government has issued a sharp riposte to Australia's increased defence budget, repeating its claim the federal government holds a "Cold War mentality".

It follows yesterday's announcement by Defence Minister Richard Marles that the government will invest an extra $50.3 billion into the armed forces over the next decade.

But Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian overnight denied claims by Marles that Beijing had employed coercive tactics in pursuit of its "strategic objectives".

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China was committed to peace in the Asia-Pacific region and security threats stemmed from "some major countries outside the region", Lin said.

In an implied criticism of the United States and its allies such as Australia, Lin said the formation of "exclusive groupings" was raising regional tensions.

"They have been forming exclusive groupings, stoking bloc confrontation, and in particular, muddying the waters in the South China Sea, as if the world needed any more instability.

"China firmly opposes it.

"We hope Australia will correctly view China's development and strategic intentions, abandon the Cold War mentality, do more things to keep the region peaceful and stable, and stop buzzing about China."

Last year's Defence Strategic Review argued Australia needed to modernise a military structure it said was designed for a "bygone era".

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Marles told Today this morning China's military expansion required a response by Australia to ensure stability in the region.

"China is engaging in the biggest conventional military build-up that we've seen since the end of the Second World War that is changing the strategic landscape of Australia," he said.

"But it's changing the strategic landscape for the region and the world."

Of the extra $50.3 billion in funding, $5.7 billion is for the next four years.

While acquiring nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS defence pact will dominate military spending for the foreseeable future at up to $63 billion over the next ten years, the federal government pointed to other focuses of the National Defence Strategy.

They include buying new artillery systems to increase the army's current range of 30km to 500km, longer-range missiles for the air force and navy, an $18 billion funding boost for military bases in the country's north, and more spending on drone technologies.