Necessary guarantee for reform

With the development of globalization and informationization, the emergence of many domestic problems has also complicated the international situation, and, often, international events have a bearing on China's domestic situation. And the handling of many domestic problems is also closely related to China's international image. All these considerations require China to focus on the coordination of internal and external affairs with a view to avoid unfavorable interaction between domestic and international situations.

In consideration of China's current response capacity, related departments need to strengthen their coordination and cooperation in dealing with the fast increasing and highly tricky issues related to national security. At present, China's foreign affairs, public security, military and security departments are already working under a great deal of pressure. Institutionalized measures should be made to strengthen lateral ties and cooperation among these departments to promote a reasonable division of labor so that each performs its own functions and the duplication of labor is minimized. Unified command from a higher level is a necessity to incorporate all options and allow the departments to function at their best.

China is in a critical phase of national rejuvenation, so there has to be a central planning and command body with the authority to further strengthen the country's strategic initiatives and its security capabilities.

As the core part of the country's efforts to improve its national security mechanism, a State security committee is essential, but it will be a gradual exploration of its role. Although it can learn from the successful experience of other countries, the establishment and smooth operation of its own State security committee has inherent particularity and unique complexity.

The new body will not only have to be compatible with all kinds of existing national security coordination mechanisms, but also realize seamless docking with a variety of departments. In the face of China's specific and changing national security situation and security challenges, the operation of the State security committee will have to be continuously adjusted according to the changing situation. It has been said that the establishment of a modern governance system will be a long-term process, likewise the establishment and improvement of a national security mechanism with Chinese characteristics.

Based on China's current situation and giving full play to the special superiority is an important foundation of the effective operation of China's State security committee. Unlike the US and other developed countries, China is still a developing country and maintaining social stability is one of the important tasks of the Chinese government.

As the world's only socialist power, maintaining political security will inevitably become one of the goals of State security. In the post-financial crisis era, maintaining peripheral security and boosting China's global influence are key issues for the Chinese government. The new State security committee will focus on these problems and needs. The operation of the State security committee will fully embody Chinese characteristics and wisdom, and under the strong leadership of the Party, it will make full use of the unique advantages of concentrating resources to accomplish large undertakings and handle and solve various problems in a creative way.

Furthermore, an important guarantee for the smooth running of the State security committee is to expand domestic strategic consensus among related departments. While setting up the coordination mechanisms for state security, efforts also should be made to promote the new security concept within the system and in society to lay a solid thought foundation for the orderly running of China's State security committee.

The author is deputy director of the Institute of American Studies, affiliated to the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

(China Daily 11/19/2013 page9)