Keep Hold of the Strategic Initiative for Our National Security*

February 17, 2017

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 the path of national security with Chinese features. 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 consider 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 national security commission, adopting a holistic approach to national security, and laying out strategies, guidelines and plans for national security, which have resulted in remarkable achievement 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 pressing ahead with our national development, the development of the Party, and the 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, make overall plans for national security on the basis of guarding against risks, and by taking advantage of the current period of strategic opportunities. The overall global trend towards multipolarity, economic globalization and democratic international relations remains unchanged. We should help guide the international community to establish a truly just and equitable world order. No matter how the world changes and develops, we must maintain our strategic confidence, faith and patience. We should adopt a global vision in national security, coordinate development and security, 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 cyber security. We need to improve the integrated system for maintenance of law or 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, manufacturing, fire prevention and hazardous chemicals, guarding against any serious accidents. We must consolidate our lines of defense for cyber security, and protect key information infrastructure. Moreover, we should facilitate the market-oriented development of core technologies for cyber security, 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 be concerned with people working for national security and provide necessary conditions and policies.

* Main points of the speech at a meeting on national security.

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