A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO NATIONAL SECURITY

A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO NATIONAL SECURITY*

April 15, 2014 and February 17, 2017

I

We need to acquire an accurate understanding of new developments and trends of the changing national security landscape, adhere to a holistic approach and develop a national security system with Chinese characteristics.

In running the Party and the country, one of our basic principles is to remain keenly alert to potential dangers and on guard against adversity in times of peace. To secure its leadership role and unite the country in upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics, our Party should make national security its top priority.

The Party’s 18th Central Committee decided at its Third Plenary Session to establish the Commission for National Security. This is a pressing requirement for modernizing the state governance system and capacity, and for achieving long-term political stability. This will provide a strong guarantee for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and for fulfilling the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. The aim of the establishment of the commission is to better handle new developments and new tasks in the realm of national security, and build a national security system which is centralized, integrated, highly efficient, and authoritative, so as to improve leadership over the work of national security.

At present, the national security issues facing China encompass far more subjects, extend over a greater range and cover a longer time scale than at any time in the country’s history. Internally and externally, the factors at play are more complex than ever before. Therefore, we must pursue a holistic approach to national security, take the people’s security as our ultimate goal, make political security our fundamental task, regard economic security as our foundation, develop military, cultural and public security as our means of guarantee, and promote international security, so as to establish a national security system with Chinese characteristics. 

To implement a holistic approach to national security, we should attach equal importance to internal and external security – promoting development, reform and stability and building China into a safe country domestically, while seeking peace, cooperation and mutual benefits and building a harmonious world internationally. Territorial security and the people’s security are equally important. We must follow the principle of people first, do everything in the interest of the people, rely on the people, and consolidate national security with the support of the people. We must pay close attention to both traditional and non-traditional security, and build a national security system that integrates such elements as political, territorial, military, economic, cultural, social, science and technology, information, ecological, resource and nuclear security. We should pay close attention to both development and security. The former is the foundation of the latter while the latter is a precondition for the former. Only by building a prosperous country can we build a strong army, and only by building a strong army can we safeguard the country. While paying close attention to our own security, we must also pay attention to the common security of the world, and contribute our effort to turning the world into a secure place for all nations. We should urge all parties to work hard for the goals of mutual benefit and common security.

The Commission for National Security should uphold centralized leadership, make sound plans, implement work mechanisms that provide for centralization and delegated responsibilities, take coordinated actions, and operate efficiently with a capable team. It should focus its efforts, follow the key guidelines, and vigorously implement the overall strategy of China’s national security.

II

We should have an accurate understanding of the situation of our national security, and pursue a holistic approach to national security. We must take protecting our people’s security as our mission, and adhere to a path of national security with Chinese characteristics. We must strive for new progress in our endeavor to ensure our national security and to provide a security guarantee for the realization of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. 

We called this meeting to hear your ideas and suggestions, analyze the national security situation, and make a plan for national security for the coming period. 

Since the 18th CPC National Congress, the CPC Central Committee has paid great attention to national security work, establishing the Commission for National Security, adopting a holistic approach to this issue, and laying out strategies, guidelines and plans for it, which have resulted in remarkable achievements in national security initiatives.

National security covers a wide range of fields and has growing importance in the work of the CPC and the government. We face many unprecedented risks and challenges in advancing the great struggle with many new features, the great new project of strengthening the Party, and the great cause of Chinese socialism. This creates new requirements as well as provides opportunities for improving national security. In the final analysis, the purpose of national security is to protect our people’s interests. In doing our job in this field, we must do everything possible for the people, rely on the people, and secure a peaceful and happy life for the people. 

To have an accurate assessment of China’s security situation and maintain our national security, we need to follow the laws of development in light of tremendous changes in the international landscape, and make overall plans for national security on the basis of guarding against risks and by taking advantage of the current period of strategic opportunity. The overall global trend towards multipolarity, economic globalization, and democracy in international relations remains unchanged. We should help guide the international community to establish a truly fair and equitable world order. We must strengthen national security so as to bolster our efforts in leveraging this important period of strategic opportunity. No matter how the world changes and develops, we must maintain our strategic resolve, confidence, and patience. We should adopt a global vision on national security, coordinate development and security, have plans in place for worst-case scenarios, combine principles with tactics, and always keep hold of the strategic initiative for national security.

Great efforts should be devoted to political, economic, territorial, social, and cyberspace security. We need to improve the integrated system for maintenance of law and order, and strengthen our overall capability in public security management. We need to identify and address problems and disputes at their source. We should strengthen industrial safety in such key fields as transport, fire prevention and hazardous chemicals, guarding against any serious accidents. We must consolidate our lines of defense for cybersecurity, and better protect key information infrastructure. Moreover, we should facilitate the market-oriented development of core technologies for cybersecurity, reinforce early warning and monitoring, ensure big data safety, and achieve comprehensive detection of risks and effective protection at all times. It is vital for China to proactively create a favorable international security environment, and we must urge the international community to intensify cooperation for global security. It is also imperative to enhance our capacity to provide the materials, technologies, equipment, expertise, legal guarantees, and mechanisms required for safeguarding national security.

Upholding CPC leadership is fundamental to national security. All regions must establish and improve a national security responsibility system under the leadership of Party committees, stress the roles and duties of all participants, and support people working for national security and provide necessary conditions and policies.

* Main points of the speeches at two meetings on a holistic approach to national security – the first meeting of the Commission for National Security under the CPC Central Committee on April 15, 2014 and a meeting on national security on February 17, 2017.

(Not to be republished for any commercial or other purposes.)