China’s new security concept refers to multiple security challenges, including political, economic, military, and cyber. As of 2023, the country’s defense budget amounts to 1.55 trillion yuan, underlining its focus on ensuring global security. To improve international collaboration, China adopts the Belt and Road Initiative and works with countries on the route to ensure the security of their energy supplies and infrastructure construction.The country counters cyber threats through its Cybersecurity Law and Data Security Law, having successfully addressed 13.19 billion cyber attacks in 2022.
Core Elements of the New Security Concept
The new security concept of China is a strategic security idea that is established to guarantee sufficient long-term stability and economic development in the modern complex and volatile global security situation. It is an interlinked concept instead of isolation. It is not only related to military security. It involves other dimensions, such as development policies, national defense, technology, and economy, and is formed by multiple layers and multiple fields. The core of the new security concept is creating better opportunities for China to remain autonomous and free in the process of globalization.
In the economic dimension, a variety of measures have been taken to ensure the dependence and safety of the key industrial chains. Thus, in 2022, more than 1.2 trillion yuan had been invested in the country to finally decrease the time of external dependence, enrich further innovation capabilities, and ensure industrial security.Because of improved technical independence and stability, this official action has a firm digital commitment. The domestic market has been expanding by increasing the number of shops and consumers. As such, the risk of any external economic threat has been decreased.
In terms of national defense, the new security concept aims to build a modernized defense system and improve the modernization of the military force. In 2023, it exceeded 1.55 trillion yuan, whereas the proportion with GDP mostly remains constant. These inputs provide specific data to conclude that China is a peaceful guardian of national security over the years.
These measures not only increase the military capability of the Chinese army but improve the international and regional shipment capacity to handle various different security threats. The country has established and improved a legal system to protect network and security, such as the Data Security Law and the Cybersecurity Law. More than 13 billion cyber attacks have been handled by China successfully.
International Cooperation in the New Security Concept
China’s new security concept considers not only the question of maintaining internal stability and security but also the active international cooperation aimed at eliminating the global security challenges. This cooperation is also the way of world peace and stability, assuming the multilateral relations with subsequent equal and mutually beneficial relations between the countries. The process of globalization has made security an issue with global consequences so that it cannot be solved independently by a single country.
China’s actual involvement in global security affairs is evidenced by its participation in various international organisations and security frameworks. Through significant contributions to peacekeeping operations, China has demonstrated its role in the UN framework as one of the largest peacekeeping contributors. Since 1990, China has sent more than 50,000 peacekeepers, participated in more than 30 peacekeeping missions, and made notable for its participation in the United Nations Peacekeeping Force effort to maintain world peace and stability. China’s role in regional security cooperation is also vital. China assisted the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation apex in security cooperation, enhanced joint efforts to combat terrorism, extremism and separatism, and worked together to ensure regional peace and tranquillity.
China’s interest in economic security cooperation is also visible in the new security approach. China’s awareness of the oneness of the global cooperation has not prevented it from actively participating in this cooperation for its economic security reasons. As the world’s second-largest economy, China has advocated the global economy’s openness and cooperation. By building the Belt and Road, China has closely cooperated with countries in the construction of infrastructure, trade and investment, and established a multi-level cooperation mechanism in the field of economic security.
In the field of energy security, China implements cooperation with Central Asian countries, builds multiple energy export channels including the China-Kazakhstan, China-Russia, and China-Turkey routes, and ensures the diversification of energy supplies. China has proposed the Global Data Security Initiative and called on the world to strengthen cybersecurity dialogue and cooperation. In the face of global information and cybersecurity issues emerging as a serious challenge in the field of security, this century, China’s dialogue with multiple countries is aimed at cyber cooperation with China on this issue reflects its positive signals and constructive role in global cybersecurity management.
The New Security Concept and Social Stability
China’s new security concept not only focuses on the national level’s strategic security but also considers maintaining social stability as its core values. Social stability is not only concerned with the long-run survival of the country’s peace and prosperity but also has a profound impact on the current global stability.In fact, the concept of social stability within the framework of China’s new security concept is the groundwork that supports its superstructure, which is national security. The Chinese government has taken a series of measures to prevent potential risks and problems that will harm social harmony to ensure social stability.
In terms of addressing the poverty issue, China has taken a group of extremely effective measures and successfully reached an unprecedented level. According to official data, over the past 7 years, national poverty alleviation has been achieved in China, with nearly 100 million people being lifted out of absolute poverty from 2013 to 2020. This measure has solved many social contradictions and the people’s sense of social security has been greatly enhanced. Social stability also has been reinforced to provide a solid foundation for the long-term development of the country.
It is important to note that in the field of technological development that affects changes in social stability, China has also used a large number of technological means to ensure social order. In the field of technological changes and advancements in recent years, it has actively promoted the construction of smart cities around the country. The goal of construction is to improve urban management levels through data analysis and intelligent management methods. Large cities such as Beijing and Shanghai have made significant improvements.
Public security management and many other problems have been addressed. Intelligent technologies such as intelligent traffic systems, big data, and many other technological innovations are powerful tools for improving the efficiency of urban governance and ensuring social stability. The new security concept is not only a strategy to deal with external security threats. Social stability in China will benefit from the implementation of various measures and means. Social stability will set the stage for China’s national security and development. Through the integration of a series of systems, technologies, and economic means, on the one hand, to ensure national security, and on the other hand, to ensure social stability and provide a solid guarantee for social stability and continued development.