China’s defence budget is expected to almost double by 2015 as Beijing accelerates its spending on fighter jets and other military equipment, according to a leading defence consultancy, write Carola Hoyos in London and Kathrin Hille in Beijing.

The country’s official defence budget has increased at a double-digit rate for all but one of the past 23 years, raising concerns about its ambitions among its Asian neighbours and the US. China is expected to unveil another double-digit increase when it releases its defence budget for 2012 in the coming weeks.

Beijing has justified increases by arguing they are in line with the pace of its economic growth, although the US and others have questioned China’s assertions over its military spending, believing it underplays the extent of its growth. In a forecast to be released this week, analysts at IHS Jane’s Defence say they expect China’s defence spending to accelerate substantially in the next three years, testing the argument it is linked to growth.