[Graphic News] US, China and Saudi biggest military spenders in 2017

Global military spending rose in 2017 to its highest level since the Cold War, with the United States, China and Saudi Arabia topping the list, a Swedish research institute said.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimated that global military expenditure totaled $1.73 trillion in 2017, up 1.1 percent on 2016.

The United States remained the world’s largest spender with $610 billion, unchanged year-on-year. The US accounted for over a third of global military expenditure.

Second-placed China was estimated to have spent $228 billion. South Korea ranked in 10th place, spent $39.2 billion in 2017.