The White House unveiled its Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal on Friday, which includes a 23 percent reduction in non-defense spending and a 13 percent increase in defense spending.
The proposed budget totals 1.7 trillion U.S. dollars, 7.6 percent lower compared with that of last year, according to the White House Office of Management and Budget.
According to the budget proposal, non-defense spending will be reduced by 163 billion U.S. dollars, reaching its lowest level since 2017.
The cuts target the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Education, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among others.
On the contrary, defense spending is set to rise by 13 percent, surpassing one trillion U.S. dollars for the first time.
Additionally, the budget for the Department of Homeland Security would increase by nearly 65 percent.
White House 2026 budget proposal cuts non-defense spending, increases defense funding
China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.
In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.
"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.
This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.
By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.
China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.
The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.
"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.
China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting
