Press release of the Ministry of National Defense

Time: 19:50PM, September 9^th, 2018

In response to the media report “Ignore the ”National Defense Incorruptibility Ranking”, new US military procurement projects are all listed as confidential”, the Ministry of National Defense today (9^th) said that the budget planning of the Ministry of National Defense is conducted under the principle of openness, transparency, civil supervision and keeping military secret confidential, and approved by the confidential budget review meeting of the Ministry of National Defense. The planning of confidential budget of 2019 is conducted by the above mentioned principles.

The Ministry of National Defense emphasized that it always place importance on the performance of “National Defense Incorruptibility Ranking”, and strive for good performance of the ranking; but the first priority of the national defense is the military security of national defense, and military procurement projects are military cooperation acts between governments and should be stay under the radar and ensure the national defense confidentiality and national safety. Before the product supply and sale from the US, the budget of weapon and equipment should be listed as confidential, and the procurement process expense corresponding with the approval of the budget may be listed as public. As the message of supply and sale from the US is announced at the website of National Security Bureau, all confidential budget will be reclassified as public budget. We hereby clarify the information.