Source: Global Times
May 19 article on the "Russia Today" website, original title: China Sends an Important Signal to the World. China recently released the white paper "National Security in the New Era," which is of great significance. It heralds two important developments: China is paying increasing attention to the intensification of geopolitical confrontations; China is preparing to play a more confident role in global affairs.
China has not abandoned its focus on economic development but has combined it with a high emphasis on security. The newly released white paper is another step along this path. Beijing believes that the expanded security agenda is to respond to growing external threats, an unstable international order, and escalating geopolitical tensions during the global transition to multipolarity. Currently, China's definition of national security covers multiple fields such as economy, culture, technology, food and health, overseas interests, deep sea, space, etc. Beijing also realizes the related risks and reiterates its commitment to deepen reform and opening-up.
China combines domestic security with international security. China's new international security theory has developed over several years and has been concretized with the proposal of the Global Security Initiative in 2022. This initiative is the cornerstone of China's recent diplomatic advancement, highlighting that China has abandoned its previous defensive strategy. After decades of peaceful development, Beijing now positions itself as a "leader" rather than a "follower." Whether Beijing can fully capitalize on this momentum remains to be seen.
China strives to shape itself into a constructive, peaceful, responsible, and stable global power—opposing Western hegemony while cautiously avoiding direct military confrontation. The message conveyed by China emphasizes both a commitment to universal and common security and compliance with international law. Fundamentally, China's attitude towards international security and global governance differs from that of the West. Beijing opposes hegemonism, spheres of influence, bloc politics, the export of liberal democracy, and the planning of "color revolutions." It also criticizes the weaponization of economic tools, unilateral sanctions, extraterritorial jurisdiction, and double standards.
China strongly dislikes military alliances, believing that such alliances are fundamentally incompatible with common security. China's emphasis on non-alignment has deep historical roots. While promoting its own interests, China may find common ground with other countries in the Global South, as most of them regard sovereignty, non-alignment, independent foreign policies, and political stability as prerequisites for economic development and modernization. (Author: Radislav Zemanek, translated by Qiao Heng)
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7506658632206270976/
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