China has published a white paper on national security. What message did Xi Jinping send? - Analysis

There is currently a major discussion going on in the West about how to rethink and reframe what should, or should not, be considered a homeland security issue. Emerging technologies and integrated global value chains may be, but to date there has been no collective policy discussion about how the concept should evolve to meet the realities of the 21st century. This is in contrast to Xi Jinping's China. Since his April 2014 speech on the general outlook for national security, the latter has become not just a way to conceptualize risk to the state, but rather a highly expansionist political-ideological construct that has come to encompass almost all elements of policymaking and political considerations.

China has released its first national security white paper, a move that, while not revolutionary in content, has significant global implications.

The paper signals that the Chinese leadership is increasingly concerned about rising geopolitical tensions and is preparing to assume a more assertive role on the world stage, posing a direct challenge to U.S. dominance.

Xi Jinping (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

This change reflects a broader transformation under President Xi Jinping. The reform-driven, economy-focused style of governance of previous leaders such as Deng Xiaoping has given way to what is often called a “new era.” Under Xi, China has re-centralized political control, strengthened the core principles of socialism, and reaffirmed the authority of the Communist Party.

The new white paper highlights how Beijing sees its comprehensive security framework as a response to a destabilized global order, increased external pressures and the transition to a multipolar world. Protecting the party's authority-determined “political security”-remains the top priority.

China's expansive definition of security now includes everything from economic and cultural stability to food security, public health, space exploration, and deep-sea interests. While this broad scope may hinder innovation and openness, especially in a highly securitized environment, Beijing says it is committed to economic reform and greater global integration.

However, the fusion of development and security is now seen as standard policy and is expected to shape the next five-year plan.

China's evolving position also reflects a change in foreign policy. The country has moved beyond its longstanding strategy of maintaining a low profile in global affairs.

The Global Security Initiative (GSI), launched in 2022, is a key part of this shift. It reflects China's more proactive role on the international stage and its departure from the traditional policy of “be born of your strength, bide your time.”

As Beijing enters a leadership role, whether it can effectively sustain and exercise this newfound assertiveness remains an open question.

National security according to Xi

There is currently a major discussion going on in the West about how to rethink and reframe what should, or should not, be considered a homeland security issue. Emerging technologies and integrated global value chains may be, but to date there has been no collective policy discussion about how the concept should evolve to meet the realities of the 21st century.

This is in contrast to Xi Jinping's China. Since his April 2014 speech on the general outlook for national security, the latter has become not just a way to conceptualize risk to the state, but rather a highly expansionist political-ideological construct that has come to encompass almost all elements of policymaking and political considerations.

Rather than placing 'national security' in conceptual, political and bureaucratic silos separate from, for example, from economic development, the new General National Security Perspective seeks to merge these elements so that economics, culture, technology, governance and the like are all seen as both critical inputs and positive outcomes of an updated vision of national security.

China has articulated its vision of national security as a broad concept encompassing the confluence of internal and external threats to Beijing's interests-a report to Congress by the U.S. Department of Defense in 2020 argues.

Party leaders have identified national security as a broad container encompassing traditional and nontraditional internal and external threats, the intersection of external influences on internal stability, and economic, cultural, social and environmental threats. Beijing has also taken steps to define this concept, to improve the CCP's ability to develop and coordinate national security policy among party, military and state organs, and to raise awareness of public opinion on internal security issues.

These efforts seek to address longstanding concerns of the Chinese leadership that the country is ill-equipped to deal with the growing challenges it faces to its national security. The implications of this evolving worldview are significant, as Jude Blanchette-not the least of which is the transformation of the People's Republic of China under the leadership of the Communist Party of China into a 21st century garrison state.

According to the CCP, the premise of the concept is that “the security of the people is the purpose of national security, political security is the foundation of national security, and the supremacy of national interests is the criterion of national security.”

The Party's vision of political security as the foundation of national security is described in terms of maintaining the “governing status” of the Party and the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. This reflects the Party's certainty that its leadership and its systems are indispensable for national rejuvenation.

The Party leadership values the supremacy of national interests as the criterion by which the CCP expects that its ability to to “resolutely safeguard” the sovereignty, security and China's development; “development is the foundation and purpose of security , and security is the condition and guarantee of development.”

“China under Xi Jinping is striving to establish itself as a leading power on the international stage, and the development of a more capable and assertive national security state is a key component of this great undertaking [...] from Hong Kong's draconian national security law to Beijing's fierce crackdown in Xinjiang to its intensified political warfare campaign against Taiwan, the fruits of Xi's vision on national security are becoming increasingly evident.”

At the Third Plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee, a National Security Commission, later renamed the Central National Security Commission (CNSC),was established to advise the Politburo, oversee coordination of national security issues across the government, crisis management and legal codification of the sprawling definition of national security.

Its jurisdiction covers internal and external security issues. Leading the CNSC are China's top three leaders: Xi who serves as chairman, the premier of the State Council, and probably the chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (in fact, it is difficult to find precise references to this given the opacity of the

information).

Members of the CNSC may also be members of the Politburo, senior government and PLA leaders (including the two vice presidents of the CMC).

The General Office of the CNSC is responsible for the day-to-day work of the Commission and is managed by senior CCP officials who hold positions in other positions as well.

The CNSC has subordinate offices that permeate the entire structure of the Party: Provinces, Prefectures, Municipalities, City Districts, and Counties have National Security Commissions at their respective levels within their Party Committees, forming a vertical system that culminates in the CNSC.

In 2015, the CPC adopted the first national security strategy framework. Over the years, Chinese officials and media have indicated various sub-strategies of security that cover a variety of issues – such as political, internal, military, economic, cultural, social, technological, cyber, nuclear, ecological, resource, and biological security. Although there is still a separate institution responsible for foreign affairs (the so-called Central Foreign Affairs Commission), the CNSC is currently considered the most important decision-making body in foreign policy, representative of the centralization of power in the hands of Xi Jinping.

The new national security system

Xi has worked to increase the operational effectiveness of the national security system. At the vertical level, one of the main objectives of the CNSC has been to improve coordination between agencies and the sharing of information that Chinese strategists deemed insufficient. As the most powerful Commission, the CNSC holds regular meetings, is chaired by Xi, coordinated by a trusted collaborator of his (Politburo member Ding Xuexiang), and has staff from both civilian and military agencies that guide it to conduct strategic planning and effectively coordinate crisis response.

The reforms of military and paramilitary services have also improved operational performance. The updated command system of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) allows for greater integration of forces from different services and enhances the army's effectiveness in peacetime coercion and war preparations. The Joint Strategic and Logistical Support Forces facilitate wartime operations by consolidating key support functions.

The People's Armed Police Force (PAP) has also been streamlined. Today it retains only those elements that have contributed to its paramilitary identity, such as the Rapid Reaction Mobile Units, and has been relieved of previous economic and counter-insurgency responsibilities. The addition of mobile contingents has also provided a new powerful operational tool. Other changes have improved the state's ability to manage crises and perform other functions.

The March 2018 reform by the State Council consolidated the competencies of several other agencies into a new Ministry of Emergency Management, responsible for compiling emergency response plans, organizing rescue operations, workplace safety, and disaster prevention (such as fires, floods, and earthquakes).

The reforms have also transferred border defense troops, previously under the PAP, and the Chinese Customs Agency into a National Immigration Administration under the Ministry of Public Security (MPS).