BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the country to conduct national security education and enhance people's national security awareness.

Xi's instructions were issued on Thursday, ahead of the first national security education day on April 15.

The whole Party and society should be mobilized to jointly safeguard national security, consolidate the social basis for national security and prevent and defuse security risks, he said.

Xi, who heads the national security commission, said national security is of paramount importance for the people to live and work in peace and for realizing the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation.

Xi put forward the overall national security outlook at the first meeting of the national security commission on April 15, 2014.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress passed the National Security Law on July 1 of 2015, which declared April 15 a day of national security education.