A Holistic Approach to National Security

We should ensure both development and security and be ever ready to protect against potential dangers in time of peace. This is a major principle underlying the CPC’s governance.

While presiding over the first meeting of the National Security Commission of the CPC Central Committee in April 2014, Xi Jinping emphasized the need to take a holistic view of national security. Through such an approach, a full spectrum of security issues are assessed, ranging from people’s security, which is the ultimate concern, political security, which is of overarching importance, and economic security, which underpins all other considerations, to military, cultural and social perspectives, which reinforce efforts in other areas, and the promotion of international security, which provides support for measures taken in a national context. Along this line of thinking we are setting out to build a national security system with Chinese characteristics.

Such a holistic approach requires a focus on both internal and external security. Internally, it is essential to promote development, continue reform, maintain stability, and create a safe environment. Externally, we should promote international peace, seek cooperation and mutual benefit, and strive to bring harmony to the world. Homeland security and the security of our citizens are both of paramount importance.  All initiatives taken in this respect will be people-centered, and implemented for the people, on the basis of the people’s needs, and with the support of the people. Security issues, both traditional and non-traditional, will be taken into account. The national security system we envisage will integrate not only political security and homeland security, but also security-related military, economic, cultural, and social concerns, science and technology, information, ecological, resource, and nuclear security.  

Development issues will be considered in tandem with security issues. Development provides a basis for security, whereas security constitutes a necessary condition for development. Our national security must also be viewed in the context of international security. For the sake of our global community with a shared future, we should all work toward our goal of satisfying the world’s security needs in a way that is beneficial to all. We will continue to improve our national security system, strengthen our national security capacity, and defend our sovereignty, security and national interest as it concerns our development needs.

總體國家安全觀

統籌發展和安全，增強憂患意識，做到居安思危，是中國共產黨治國理政的一個重大原則。2014年4月，習近平在主持召開中央國家安全委員會第一次會議時強調，堅持總體國家安全觀，以人民安全為宗旨，以政治安全為根本,以經濟安全為基礎，以軍事、文化、社會安全為保障，以促進國際安全為依托，走出一條中國特色國家安全道路。總體國家安全觀要求：既重視外部安全，又重視內部安全，對內求發展、求變革、求穩定、建設平安中國，對外求和平、求合作、求共贏、建設和諧世界；既重視國土安全，又重視國民安全，堅持以民為本、以人為本，堅持國家安全一切為了人民、一切依靠人民，真正夯實國家安全的群眾基礎；既重視傳統安全，又重視非傳統安全，構建集政治安全、國土安全、軍事安全、經濟安全、文化安全、社會安全、科技安全、信息安全、生態安全、資源安全、核安全等于一體的國家安全體系；既重視發展問題，又重視安全問題，發展是安全的基礎，安全是發展的條件；既重視自身安全，又重視共同安全，打造命運共同體，推動各方朝著互利互惠、共同安全的目標相向而行。必須完善國家安全制度體系，加強國家安全能力建設，堅決維護國家主權、安全、發展利益。