China’s first national security blue book issued by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) has pinpointed combating terrorism and maintaining social stability as top domestic priorities, and highlighted the need for greater mutual trust with major powers on an international scale. Titled Annual Report on China’s National Security Studies (2014), the report was unveiled at a Beijing press conference on May 6.

Compiled by the Center for International Strategy and Security Studies at the University of International Relations (UIR), the report was published by the Social Sciences Academic Press (SSAP) under CASS.

“This is the first blue book in China on national security, consisting of four parts: international security environment; national security strategies; national security system and laws; and topics on China’s national security,” introduced Liu Hui, a professor from UIR.

The blue book not only reviews and analyzes China’s national security situation in 2013, but also puts forward countermeasures for challenges ahead in the field.

Director of SSAP Xie Shouguang said the report “fills the void of serial blue books on national security” and delivers a significant boost to research results made by Chinese think tanks for their Yearbooks Series.

“It is the most authoritative think-tank report on China’s national security, providing powerful backing and reference for the promotion of future reform and development in China,” added Xie.

Xie’s remarks were echoed by Xiao Chen, a professor from the School of Economics at Peking University, who urged think tanks to release more reports on national security.

Addressing China’s economic security situation, Xiao warned of challenges on the horizon. “The US’s quantitative easing policies and massive outflow of hot money should warrant concern for the present Chinese economic security sphere,” he said

Xiao offered a sober assessment of the economy, noting there was no room for complacency among policymakers. “China’s demographic and resource dividends are nearing exhaustion, but its talent and institutional dividends are yet to take shape,” he said. “This year China will outpace the US as the largest, most-watched economy in the world, but we have no reason to be sanguine about the inherent performance of the Chinese economy.”

Feng Zhongping, research fellow and deputy director of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, expounded on China’s national security from both domestic and international standpoints.

“National security covers violence and terrorism, employment and social stability, and political and environmental security. Of these, violence, terrorism and social stability are the biggest concerns,” he said.

“Internationally, competition between great powers, attitudes of the US, Russia and EU towards China and their China policies, along with maritime rights and interests have posed major security challenges to China. Future relationships between major countries will have huge leverage on China’s national security.”

On a strategic level, Feng said China should “unite Russia, rope in Europe and stabilize its relations with the US.” “In the upcoming decade, the GDPs of the US, EU and China will all exceed $10 trillion, which will have a great impact on the international economic order and trade system. Only if all three sides build mutual trust and collaborate with each other can a win-win situation be created,” he said.

The report also introduced the National Security Commission of the Communist Party of China (CPC), defined by the Party as the paramount decision-making body on national security and a deliberation and coordination agency with supreme authority.

The report found the commission will take into full account both domestic and international security situations, and perform the following four functions: formulate and implement national security strategies; promote the legal system of national security; lay down guidelines and policies on national security; and study and tackle major issues in national security.

Translated and edited by Chen Mirong

　　Revised by Tom Fearon