President chairs first meeting of National Security Commission

President Xi Jinping elaborated on his vision for an overall national security outlook in domestic and external affairs while chairing the first meeting of China's newly established State security commission.

Xi, who heads the commission, warned that "China now faces the most complicated situation it ever has, internally and externally".

He called on members of the country's top security policymaking body to explore a "national security path with Chinese characteristics".

The third plenary session of the 18th Communist Party of China Central Committee made world headlines when it announced in November that the country would establish the National Security Commission.

The Party's ruling authority decided in late January that Xi would head the commission. Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang were named deputy heads of the commission.

To implement the overall national security outlook, China must prioritize external and internal security, Xi said.

China will seek "development, reform and stability" and foster a safe environment domestically while pursuing externally peace, cooperation, win-win situations and a harmonious world, Xi said.

Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said a security outlook of a broader range and scope is "desperately needed at a time when China is increasingly engaged in world affairs".

China is rising from a regional major country to a major world player, and "when China is developing and going global, the threats that run against us and our setbacks may emerge more often than before", Ruan said.

In addition to its own security, China will also pay attention to common security and try to forge communities of shared destinies, and help all parties involved attain mutual benefit, interests and common security, he added.

On the domestic front, Xi said "homeland security and the safety of people" should both be cared for and the country will rally support from its people to ensure national security.

China will build a national security system that includes the security of politics, territory, military, economy, culture, society, science and technology, information, ecology, natural resources and nuclear programs, he said.

Meng Xiangqing, deputy director of the Institute for Strategic Studies at the National Defense University, said Beijing has been consistently working on the perfection of the new mechanism, and a better protection will be provided on both domestic and external spheres.

"China's sovereignty, security and interests will be better protected while the domestic political, security and social stability will be better ensured," Meng said.

When elaborating on the relationship between development and security, Xi said both should be valued because "only a prosperous country can have a strong military, which in turn can protect the country".

Xinhua contributed tothis story.

zhangyunbi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 04/16/2014 page3)