Ensure Absolute Party Leadership over National Security* 

April 17, 2018 

In terms of national security work in the new era, we should strengthen the Party's centralized and unified leadership, take cognizance of the current situation, adopt a holistic approach to national security, and strive for further progress. In so doing, we will provide a strong guarantee for the Two Centenary Goals and the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

Since it was established four years ago, the National Security Commission has upheld overall leadership by the Party. In line with the requirements of a holistic approach to national security, the commission has put in place a general framework of the national security system, developed the theory, improved the strategy, and established a coordination mechanism. Many long-standing and complex problems have been solved, and many long-sought objectives accomplished. We have strengthened our work in all respects and have secured favorable conditions for safeguarding our national security.

The road ahead will not be plain sailing. The brighter the prospects, the more we should enhance our awareness of potential dangers, raise our vigilance, and fully understand and effectively address major risks and challenges. We must direct our attention to key issues and areas, and prevent internal and external risks and challenges from interacting, combining and accumulating, so as to constantly improve our national security.

In order to implement a holistic approach to national security, we must: 

– Coordinate development and security. We should make best use of our development achievements to consolidate the foundation for national security and cultivate a secure environment conducive to economic and social development.

– Consider the people's security, political security, and the supremacy of our national interests as three essential elements of an indivisible whole. The people's security is the purpose of maintaining national security, political security the foundation, and the supremacy of national interests the guideline. We must ensure that the people live in peace and contentment, the Party remains in power and the country enjoys lasting stability. 

– Focus on prevention, and act effectively whenever risks arise. 

– Safeguard and shape national security. To shape national security is to safeguard it at a higher level and with greater foresight. China will act as a responsible major country, and work with others to build a global community of shared future. 

– Make coordinated plans. We must always approach national security in the context of overall development of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and fully mobilize all parties' initiative to form a joint force.

National security work should meet the requirements of the new era. While keeping one eye on the present, we must keep the other on the future. We need to safeguard political security, improve the national security system, refine the strategies and policies, strengthen our capacity, prevent and control major risks, strengthen the legal system, and raise the security awareness of the general public.

We must uphold the Party's absolute leadership over national security work and implement more effective command and coordination. The National Security Commission should play well its role of coordination, making sure that the national security principles and policies are implemented, improving the working mechanism, making great effort to improve its strategic capacity for understanding the overall situation and for planning future development. The commission must also continue to enhance its capability of managing risks and meeting challenges. We must also strengthen the Party and its work among national security departments, and guide the officials at all levels to enhance the Four Consciousnesses and the Four-sphere Confidence, and to resolutely uphold the authority of the Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership so that we can build a loyal and reliable national security force.

* Main points of the speech at the first meeting of the National Security Commission under the 19th CPC Central Committee.

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