Politburo meeting: November 18, 2021
National Security Strategy, military honours, science and technology
中共中央政治局召开会议 审议《国家安全战略（2021－2025年）》《军队功勋荣誉表彰条例》和《国家科技咨询委员会2021年咨询报告》 中共中央总书记习近平主持会议
The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held a meeting. It deliberated the National Security Strategy (2021-2025), the Regulation on the Recognition of Military Merit and Honour, and the National Science and Technology Advisory Committee 2021 Advisory Report. The General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping, presided over the meeting.
Source: http://www.news.cn/politics/2021-11/18/c_1128077610.htm
Introduction
Politburo met yesterday (November 18) and deliberated three documents:
National Security Strategy (2021-2025)
Regulation on the Recognition of Military Merit and Honour
National Science and Technology Advisory Committee 2021 Advisory Report
Politburo highlighted the need to take a holistic approach to national security and called for speeding up the construction of a new national security architecture.
The top national security priority for Beijing remains regime security. The meeting readout (translated below) states that “it is necessary to insist on the primacy of political security”.
The emphasis on holistic security is not new; traditional, non-traditional and emerging security challenges have been on the minds of Chinese leaders for some time. But topping the long list of security challenges is political and ideological threats. As the Politburo stated:
"[The Party] must staunchly safeguard the security of the state’s power, the security of the [political] system, and ideological security. We must closely guard against, and resolutely combat, all kinds of activities involving infiltration, subversion, and disruption.
The other security challenges mentioned include industrial resilience, financial risks, food and resource security, technology self-sufficiency, and social stability.
Politburo also highlighted the need to “integrat[e] development and security” and “promote a dynamic balance between [the two]”.
Moreover, Politburo also discussed the need to improve the military merit and honour recognition system. This is partly to make a career in the military more attractive.
Finally, Politburo acknowledged the policy contribution of the National Science and Technology Advisory Committee, which was established two years ago.
Translation
Xinhua (Beijing), November 18 — The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held a meeting on November 18. It deliberated on the National Security Strategy (2021-2025), the Regulation on the Recognition of Military Merit and Honor, and the National Science and Technology Advisory Committee 2021 Advisory Report. The General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Xi Jinping, presided over the meeting.
The meeting pointed out that to safeguard national security under the new situation, it is necessary to firmly establish [and adopt] the holistic approach to national security and accelerate the construction of the new [national] security architecture.
We must:
— adhere to the absolute leadership of the Party, improve the centralised, unified, efficient, and authoritative national security work leadership system, and bring together and into alignment political security, people’s security, and the paramountcy of the national interest;
— persist in defence of national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and maintain the stability and order of [China’s] frontier regions, borders, and periphery;
— adhere to [the approach of] developing while maintaining security, and promote a dynamic balance between high-quality development and high-level security;
— adhere to [the idea] that the battle for security is holistic, and plan and coordinate [accordingly] for both traditional and non-traditional security; and
— adhere to the path of peaceful development, and promote the harmonisation of [China’s] own security with the common security [between China and others].
The meeting stressed that it is necessary to insist on the primacy of political security and effectively plan and coordinate national security work across priority domains, regions, and directions. Priority domains include political security, economic security, social security, technological security, non-traditional security, etc.
We must staunchly safeguard the security of the state’s power, the security of the [political] system, and ideological security. We must closely guard against, and resolutely combat, all kinds of infiltration, subversion, and sabotage activities.
We must enhance [our] industrial resilience and shock resistance; fortify the security bottom line for guarding against systemic financial risks; ensure the security of food, energy and mineral resources, and key infrastructure and; strengthen the security and protection of [China’s] overseas interests.
We must strengthen the role of scientific and technological self-sufficiency and self-empowerment as strategic support for national security and development.
We must actively maintain the security and stability of society; prevent and reduce social conflicts by going to their sources; guard against and curb serious and large production safety accidents; improve the level of safety guarantee for food, medicine, and other products and services that concern the health of the people.
We must continue to prevent and control the coronavirus epidemic and accelerate the improvement in governance capabilities in areas such as biosecurity, cyber security, data security and artificial intelligence security.
We must actively create a favourable external environment; insist on [our] independence and autonomy; make absolutely no concessions on matters of core national interest and national dignity; and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests.
We must also establish a common, integrated, cooperative and sustainable concept of global security; strengthen cooperation in security fields; safeguard global strategic stability; work together to address global challenges; and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
We must enhance national security capabilities across the board and focus more on [finding] synergy and efficiency, governance-by-law thinking, technology’s enabling power, and grassroots foundations.
We must insist on taking [our] political construction [agenda] as the command and forge a strong national security cadre contingent. We must strengthen national security awareness education and consciously promote the deep integration of development and security.
The meeting pointed out that the formulation of the Regulation on the Recognition of Military Merit and Honor is of great significance for:
— strengthening the Party’s leadership of the military’s merit and honours recognition work;
— improving the system for the recognition of Party and state merit and honour;
— enhancing the attractiveness of the military profession and the sense of mission and pride among military members, and educating and guiding officers and soldiers to carry forward the fearless, heroic spirit, and valiant and tenacious combat style of our military; and
— inspiring all officers and soldiers to strive towards the goal [of building the People’s Liberation Army into a world-class military], set for the force’s centenary [in 2027].
The meeting stressed the need to:
— unswervingly adhere to the fundamental principle and system of absolute leadership of the Party over the military;
— implement the Central Military Commission chairman responsibility system [under which the chairman has the right to make final decisions on military affairs within their functions and powers];
— forge a hardened force with iron faith and conviction, discipline and commitment by cultivating the new-era revolutionary soldier with heart and soul, ability, courage, and moral character; and
— consolidate the ideological foundations for absolute loyalty, purity, and reliability, and guide and inspire officers and soldiers to unwavering go where the Party goes and obey the Party’s commands.
We must strengthen the showcasing of role models, adhere to the merit-based orientation, focus on prioritising virtues, and strictly control the standards [of conduct]. We should also pay attention and discover relatable role models for officers and soldiers to learn from and emulate, and widely carry out new-era reward merit and role-model-building activities.
We must inherit and carry forward the fine tradition of our military’s merit and honour recognition work, and plan, coordinate and design the system for treating those recognised for their meritorious service and [military] honours.
The meeting pointed out the National Science and Technology Advisory Committee has provided important advice for major national science and technology policy decisions since its establishment two years ago. It has actively drafted documents and provided policy advice to the Central Committee in areas such as national science and technology planning, response to the coronavirus epidemic, the development of science and technology talent, and technology support to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality.
[The Committee] shall:
— examine and judge the development trends accurately for international and domestic science and technology;
— orientate towards the world’s science and technology frontiers, the main economic battlefield, the major needs of the nation, and the life and health of the people;
— research deeply [for] the national science and technology strategy;
— research deeply for constructing a science and technology innovation path that meets [our] national conditions;
— research deeply for optimising and improving the layout of science and technology forces; and
— research deeply to provide science and technology support for major and urgent issues, such as epidemic prevention and control, and green and low-carbon development.
The meeting also considered other issues.