Urge for control Vs people's desire to liberate their production forces
By
Willy Lam
While the recent Third Plenary Session of the 18th Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee was expected to unveil major initiatives in economic liberalization, what has struck Chinese and foreign observers most is the weight that the leadership has given to enhancing state security, particularly centralizing powers in the top echelon of the party-state apparatus.
The plenum set up a National Security Committee (NSC) to better coordinate the work of departments handling functions that range from police and counter-espionage to the media and foreign affairs.
Given that apart from the NSC, President Xi will most likely also head a newly established Leading Group on the Comprehensive Deepening of Reform, the already formidable powers of the party General Secretary and Commander-in-Chief will be augmented further.
A paragraph in the plenum communique, which was released on November 12, said that the NSC was set up to "perfect the structure of state security and national-security strategies, so as to [better] safeguard national security".
"We must improve the ways of social governance, stimulate the energy of social organizations and bring about innovation of systems to effectively prevent and end social contradictions and improve public security," the document added.
While the official media has given scant details about the NSC, it is expected to be a state organ whose status is on par with commissions and leading groups - such as the Central Military Commission and the Leading Group on Foreign Affairs (LGFA), which are also headed by Xi - that report directly to the Politburo Standing Committee (PBSC), China's highest ruling council.
In his explanation of the "Resolution on Certain Major Questions regarding the Comprehensive Deepening of Reforms" (hereafter "the Resolution"), the full text of which was released on November 15, Xi noted:
While the recent Third Plenary Session of the 18th Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee was expected to unveil major initiatives in economic liberalization, what has struck Chinese and foreign observers most is the weight that the leadership has given to enhancing state security, particularly centralizing powers in the top echelon of the party-state apparatus.
The plenum set up a National Security Committee (NSC) to better coordinate the work of departments handling functions that range from police and counter-espionage to the media and foreign affairs.
Given that apart from the NSC, President Xi will most likely also head a newly established Leading Group on the Comprehensive Deepening of Reform, the already formidable powers of the party General Secretary and Commander-in-Chief will be augmented further.
A paragraph in the plenum communique, which was released on November 12, said that the NSC was set up to "perfect the structure of state security and national-security strategies, so as to [better] safeguard national security".
"We must improve the ways of social governance, stimulate the energy of social organizations and bring about innovation of systems to effectively prevent and end social contradictions and improve public security," the document added.
While the official media has given scant details about the NSC, it is expected to be a state organ whose status is on par with commissions and leading groups - such as the Central Military Commission and the Leading Group on Foreign Affairs (LGFA), which are also headed by Xi - that report directly to the Politburo Standing Committee (PBSC), China's highest ruling council.
In his explanation of the "Resolution on Certain Major Questions regarding the Comprehensive Deepening of Reforms" (hereafter "the Resolution"), the full text of which was released on November 15, Xi noted:
The NSC's
main responsibilities are to formulate and implement national security
strategies, to push forward legal construction on state security, and formulate
the goals and policies of national security work."
Referring to the connection between external and internal threats, Xi said: "Our country faces the double pressure of protecting national sovereignty, security and developmental interests from outside [threats] and safeguarding internal political safety and social stability.
Referring to the connection between external and internal threats, Xi said: "Our country faces the double pressure of protecting national sovereignty, security and developmental interests from outside [threats] and safeguarding internal political safety and social stability.
While
the NSC shares its name in Chinese with the US National Security Council, it is
believed to be focused primarily on internal security. This includes combating
challenges posed by "hostile anti-China forces from abroad." Within
the party's highest echelons, there are already two units - the LGFA and the
Leading Group on National Security - that perform roles similar to that of the
American National Security Council.
Reports in the non-official China media and the Hong Kong press have published several possible lists of ministries and ministerial-level units that will send senior representatives to the new body.
Reports in the non-official China media and the Hong Kong press have published several possible lists of ministries and ministerial-level units that will send senior representatives to the new body.