China has increased the defense budget to improve benefits for soldiers and officers rather than buy advanced fighters, a political adviser said yesterday.

The increased budget meant China could afford several B-2 stealth bombers, said Zhao Qizheng at the annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the top political advisory body.

"We won't buy fighters, but will try to improve benefits for soldiers and officers,'' said Zhao, who was formerly head of the Information Office of the State Council.

''There's not much money left for high-tech researches.''

Jiang Enzhu, spokesman for the annual parliamentary session, revealed China planned to increase its defense budget by 17.6 percent to 417.769 billion yuan (US$58.78 billion) in 2008.

Zhao called on the international community to view China's military spending impartially.

He also pointed out that China's defense budget was transparent, but the United States remained opaque on military spending, with expenditures on nuclear research and the Afghan and Iraqi wars not included in its budget.