RSIS Seminar on “Beijing’s National Security Strategy After the 20th Communist Party Congress”

Beijing’s national security strategy is featured by the top priority of political security concerns at home given by the Communist Party’s leadership. China’s domestic political and social stability has been increasingly threatened by a combination of internal and external “hostile forces.” President Xi Jinping proclaimed in 2017 that “safeguarding national political security, especially security of the political power and system, should be put in the first place.” The 20th Communist Party Congress held in October 2022 further elevated the standing of national security. Faced with the aftermath of the COVID pandemic crisis that has not completely faded away, the slowing down of economic growth in 2020-2023, the aging and shrinking population, the insufficient social welfare system, among other things, Beijing will have to take more effective measures to curb possible disturbances around the country. Meanwhile, turbulence is hitting the world. The Western countries are increasingly unfriendly toward the PRC. In particular, the United States has been imposing technological sanctions against China aimed at preventing it from becoming a technological giant at par with America. The secessionist tendency in Taiwan is encouraged by US support and the worsening of PRC-US relations. Tensions will continue across the Taiwan Strait, with the prospect of a military showdown looming larger. Beijing’s national security strategy is being tested by all these challenges and there is no easy solution to any of them.