The spread of the New Coronary Pneumonia epidemic has not only seriously threatened the lives and health of people in various countries and affected economic development, but also brought many serious challenges to national security.
Over the centuries, most of the changes in the international strategic pattern have been related to major security incidents. What impact will this epidemic have on the world order? What challenges does it pose to our national security? How to build a national security barrier? In this issue of the National Defense Conference Room, we invite Liu Wanxia, director of the International Strategy Teaching and Research Section of the National Security College of National Defense University, and Professor Ma Gang to share their views on related issues.
National external security faces challenges
Reporter: From the perspective of the international situation and national security, what impact will the new coronary pneumonia epidemic have on the world?
Ma Gang: This epidemic has changed our production and lifestyle to some extent, and it has a profound impact on the international situation. Under the impact of the epidemic, the international order is changing.
The epidemic is like a mirror, reflecting various problems in the existing international system, international order, and international relations, and clearly reflects the differences in different development models. The most obvious point is that the epidemic has exposed some Western countries to blame others and disregard international morality. The negative impact of Western values has been highlighted.
In today ’s world, no country can achieve its own security that is separate from world security, nor is it based on the insecurity of other countries. In the process of responding to the epidemic, all countries in the world fully realized that in the face of the global crisis, no country can be alone, and those countries that hold "zero-sum thinking" will only lift their feet and hit their feet. Only by joining hands and strengthening cooperation can countries truly improve the global governance system and achieve common prosperity and development. At the same time, people have also seen the harm that anti-globalization, unilateralism and protectionism have brought to world development. More countries are converging in the direction of establishing a fairer and more reasonable international order. Once this trend is formed, the international power balance will undergo profound changes, the existing international system and international order will be deeply adjusted, and the international pattern will also accelerate in the midst of difficulties.
Liu Wanxia: The impact of the epidemic on the world has far exceeded the epidemic itself. The impact on the current international pattern, international order and relations between major powers is not huge. The international situation is becoming more complicated, and uncertainties have increased significantly. Politicians in individual countries use the epidemic as a tool for maliciously injuring other countries, politicizing the epidemic, labeling the virus, undermining international anti-epidemic cooperation, and undermining the international public health cause. The purpose is to divert attention and transfer responsibility.
Strengthen non-traditional security threat response
Reporter: What impact will the changes in the international situation have on our country? In terms of national security, what issues need to be focused on?
Liu Wanxia: The impact is multifaceted. In the coming period, China will face both important opportunities and severe challenges. The opportunities are mainly manifested in the spread of the epidemic in the world, and the expectations of the international community for our country have risen further; the epidemic has made countries all over the world truly recognize the importance of solidarity and cooperation, and is conducive to creating an international environment for safe development around the world.
Compared to opportunities, challenges deserve our attention and attention: populism, nationalism, and even racism continue to rise throughout the world. The external environment for China ’s safe development has been impacted. The concept of tolerance and cooperation gradually formed after the end of the Cold War has been somewhat affected weaken. Affected by the epidemic situation, the international production and consumption supply chain in the economic field was temporarily broken, and the process of economic globalization was facing severe tests. The trend of "internal circulation" and "regional circulation" of the world economy has been significantly strengthened, which has a major impact on our foreign-oriented economy. .
Ma Gang: The US policy toward China is another practical challenge we face. The United States is trying to build a new system that excludes China. Some American politicians take the opportunity to advocate decoupling from China in many areas. On the economic front, the United States strives to reduce its dependence on China's defense epidemic materials; in terms of science and technology, it requires the United Kingdom and other countries to refuse to use Huawei's 5G technology; on the ideological side, it attempts to "spray the pan" on China for the spread of the epidemic. In the future, Sino-US relations will face new difficulties.
Reporter: In the face of the epidemic, people generally have a sense of crisis, which is obviously different from the crisis brought by traditional war threats and military threats. How do the two experts view it?
Liu Wanxia: The New Coronary Pneumonia epidemic is a typical non-traditional security threat. It is different from the direct impact caused by traditional security threats such as war conflicts. It is a continuous oppressive change and harm. It is easy to bring huge psychology to society and the people. Panic and anxiety. The epidemic sounded the alarm for us, and it also allowed us to further understand the complexity of the current national security.
Ma Gang: Yes, the challenges of non-traditional security are no less than traditional security. As one of the non-traditional security, public health security has been affecting the development of human society since ancient times, threatening human security. In 2008, the international financial crisis that erupted from the United States and then spread widely throughout the world was a financial security issue in the field of non-traditional security. The impact on the world has not yet been eliminated. The impact of the new coronary pneumonia epidemic on today ’s world and human society cannot be underestimated. So far, more than 4.6 million people have been diagnosed and more than 300,000 people have died worldwide.
History and reality prove that in today's era, security is multidimensional and three-dimensional, and national security must be viewed from a multidimensional perspective. The overall national security concept put forward by President Xi is our fundamental follow-up in planning national security issues. It should be pointed out that non-traditional security threats are not isolated and have close superposition and correlation with each other or even with traditional security threats. It is necessary to base on the overall national security strategy and strengthen strategic planning to deal with non-traditional security threats.
Create a good international security situation
Reporter: Facing the complicated international situation, how should China respond to challenges and better safeguard national security?
Ma Gang: Dealing with complex situations and recognizing the general situation and strengthening yourself are the primary tasks. President Xi emphasized, "Understanding the general development trend of the world and keeping up with the trend of the times is an extremely important and often new topic. To develop, China must follow the trend of world development." The world today is in a "big change that has not happened in a century" In this historical evolution, we must establish a correct view of history and overall situation, find a correct positioning, grasp the future, and seek development and progress in line with the historical trend to strive for strategic overall initiative. Consolidating domestic development and stability is the fundamental guarantee for us to meet challenges and resolve risks. It is necessary to promote the modernization of the national governance system and governance capabilities through deepening reforms, expanding opening up, restoring and maintaining stable economic growth, and institutional innovation.
Liu Wanxia: Indeed, to cope with challenges and maintain safety, we must not only have a big vision and a big mind, but also a big strategy and a big responsibility. Faced with the international changes that are taking place, we should take a more active and proactive attitude to promote the building of a community of shared future for mankind, jump out of the "zero-sum game" and "security dilemma" and other traditional Western thinking models and theoretical frameworks, and expand the "new international relations" concept Influence.
Secondly, to promote the construction of a new type of international relations, we should take the expansion of the interests of all countries as a starting point to achieve the goal of win-win cooperation. For some countries' actions against globalization, we can rely on "small multilateral" to promote "mostly multilateral" and regionalization to promote globalization. In addition, promote the Chinese culture of "harmony" and "unity", place the spread of Chinese culture and ideas on the background of the development and evolution of world civilizations, find the common ground and resonance of different civilizations, and seek the greatest common divisor.
Ma Gang: Building a community with a shared future for mankind and creating a good international environment and security situation also require us to participate in international affairs in a more rational and tolerant and constructive manner. To this end, it is necessary to obtain the recognition and understanding of most countries in the world through their own actions and cooperation with various countries at multiple levels and channels.
One is to actively assume the necessary responsibilities of major powers and provide more public goods to the international community. Increase investment in some international affairs that reflect the common values of mankind and enhance common well-being, and continue to win more respect and recognition.
The second is to strengthen cooperation with various countries on global issues, participate in international and regional political, economic, and security cooperation in a more active manner, play a more active role in international affairs, and effectively shape the negative in the process of promoting the resolution of global issues. The image of a responsible country.
Third, in the face of the current complex security situation, we should have stronger confidence and determination to resolve international disputes through peaceful, cooperative, and consultation methods.
Zhang Junsheng Pan Di