Holistic approach to enhance global security: China Daily editorial

The country's top authorities know well that the security environment has changed and that national security is no longer a narrow focus on military defense against external threats.

As President Xi Jinping has said, development is the foundation of security, and security is the precondition for development.

With this in mind, he proposed a holistic approach to national security in April 2014 that attaches equal importance to internal and external security, with Chinese people's security as the ultimate goal, political security as the fundamental task, economic security as the foundation, and military as well as cultural and public security as the means of guarantee; with diplomacy, dialogue and cooperation as the linchpins of its approach to create the strategic space essential for realizing its aspiration for national rejuvenation.

As the white paper on national security in the new era released by the Information Office of the State Council on Monday makes clear, holistic national security seeks to harmonize security imperatives with the country's development goal of becoming a modern socialist country by 2049.

Providing a comprehensive exposition of China's holistic approach to national security, the white paper shows the aim is to promote development, reform and stability domestically while seeking peace, cooperation and mutual benefit in its international relations and the building of a harmonious world.

National security is fundamental to development in all respects. It would be impossible for the Chinese people to lead a comfortable and decent life without public security. The country would be vulnerable to foreign invasion without a strong capability for national defense. Social stability would be impossible to maintain without internal political stability. And development would be stymied without a peaceful external environment.

National security and development therefore go hand-in-hand. Endeavors at preventing and defusing risks should serve to create a safe environment for development, and development should strengthen security.

When it comes to opening up, the white paper makes it clear that China's holistic approach to national security does not politicize the concept of national security. Rather China has established a comprehensive and transparent legal framework for its domestic security environment and in opening its door wider it will follow international rules in maintaining security for its cooperation with other countries.

There are always differences between countries, and even if the differences or disputes cannot be resolved for the time being, the parties involved should seek ways to shelve them through talks while seeking common ground for cooperation and common development.

That is why whenever there is a military conflict, China calls for the parties involved to seek peaceful settlement through talks. And that is why, to pool international efforts to prevent military conflicts and wars, China has proposed the Global Security Initiative.

The GSI seeks to establish a fairer and more reasonable framework for global security governance by rejecting zero-sum games, absolute security and political alliances for confrontation.

The GSI is, in essence, China's holistic approach to international security.

As far as world peace is concerned, China has set a good example for the entire world. It has envisioned and proposed the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. In such a community, all countries should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of others, follow the principles of the United Nations Charter, and respect the reasonable security concerns of other countries.

The GSI also calls for global endeavors to fight against unilateralism and protectionism and pool global efforts to maintain a fair and just order for global economic development and common prosperity, as unilateralism and protectionism are factors creating insecurity for global trade and world economic development.

In reality, there is a close relationship between national security and international security. It is unimaginable for a country without political and social stability to provide a sound environment for international investment and business. In other words, no multinational company would take the risk of doing business in a country with social chaos and political turmoil.

China's holistic approach to both national and international security thus provides a way to reduce the global security deficit.