China's National Security White Paper Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarian Control, CCP Supremacy

China's first national security White Paper highlights Xi Jinping's stance, emphasizing the Communist Party's leadership as central to national security.

China's National Security White Paper Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarian Control, CCP Supremacy

Source : PTI

China's inaugural White Paper on national security articulated Xi Jinping's perspective on the topic, firmly stating that the preservation of "the leadership and ruling status of the Communist Party of China" is the "fundamental" framework of national security.

The White Paper published on May 12 this year stresses the importance of maintaining the CCP's continuity and supremacy over the nation as the cornerstone of China's national security, as highlighted by the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT).

Presently, the complete text of the White Paper is accessible only in Chinese, with a sanitised "abstract" available in English and several other languages. This summary does not include the previous assertion, instead portraying the White Paper as a discussion of Xi Jinping's "holistic approach" to national security. This might suggest that the White Paper is primarily intended for a domestic audience rather than international observers, as reported by ICT.

For the global audience, the abstract presents a harmless and acceptable argument that "China's national security in the new era prioritises the security of the people as its ultimate goal, political security as its essential task, and national interests as its guiding principle," the ICT report stated.

However, the White Paper serves as a communication to the citizens of China regarding how they should perceive the CCP and its governance strategies. The text links the ongoing rule of the CCP to China's "political security." The Chinese text in the section "Safeguarding the Party's leadership and the socialist system" asserts that "China's national security relies on the Party. China prioritises political security, consistently planning and enhancing security across other domains from the lens of political security," as quoted by the ICT report.

Additionally, in the section titled "Upholding political security as the top priority," the White Paper proclaims, "This represents the lifeblood of China's national security in the new era. The essence of political security is the security of the regime and the preservation of the system, with the most critical aspect being the protection of the leadership and ruling status of the Communist Party of China and the socialist system characterised by Chinese traits. If political security is not maintained, China will undoubtedly descend into disunity and chaos, making the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation unattainable. The fundamental, long-term interests of the people will remain unprotected."

The White Paper indicates to the Chinese populace that the CCP will consequently "place increased emphasis on upholding social stability" and "on addressing conflicts and disputes at the grassroots level, while fostering harmony and stability within local communities." China will persist in employing local individuals and institutions as the frontline in its sinicisation efforts in Tibet, as noted by the ICT report.

The ICT report also mentions that the White Paper discusses border security, stating that "China has negotiated and settled land border issues with 12 of its 14 land-based neighbouring countries." The White Paper lists Nepal among those countries with which border matters have been resolved, despite media reports from Nepal indicating ongoing disputes in certain areas awaiting resolution.

The White Paper seems to convey a message primarily aimed at the people of the PRC, indicating that China is assured amidst global turbulence and capable of overcoming any obstacles under the CCP's leadership, according to the ICT report.