The plenum's decision to set up a State security committee came in response to current conditions and reflected the country's near-term and long-term strategic needs. It is tailored to the needs of the country amid its rapid changes and the development of China's national security situation to meet the changing times. With its all-round opening-up, China and the outside world have been engaging in more frequent interaction, which has brought about both development opportunities and potential risks. Being in a period of social transformation and pronounced social contradictions, the country is witnessing frequent social disputes. Meanwhile, hostile forces at home and abroad, including separatism, extremism and terrorism, are looking for opportunities to undermine social stability. With a variety of non-traditional security challenges emerging and causing serious consequences, China is faced with a more severe security situation and an increasingly arduous task of safeguarding State security. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the establishment of a strong, comprehensive and forward-looking mechanism to meet these challenges.

Setting up a State security committee also reflects the need to reform and update the current national security systems and mechanisms and strengthen central coordination to form a coherent force, improve work efficiency and enhance combat effectiveness.

The strategic decision is also in accord with China's more active participation in international affairs, as well as its great power status. Nearly all major powers have their own national security organizations. The lack of a State security committee is not compatible with China's rising international status and has thwarted its efforts to take the initiative in its interaction with other powers.

The decision to set up a State security committee has great practical significance. It will help promote the reform, integration and innovation of China's national security systems and mechanisms, and so enhance national security. The smooth operation of a State security committee will also help enhance the Party's governing capacity and provide an effective security guarantee for China's scientific, peaceful development and long-term peace and stability.

Predictably, the newly established State security committee will gradually develop into a crucial mechanism for China to promote domestic reform and coordinate international cooperation efforts, and it will become a driver for the realization of the nation's great rejuvenation.

China's State security committee must have Chinese characteristics and it is unadvisable to view and assess it by comparing it with the so-called American standard.

At first, China's State security committee will mainly focus on maintaining internal security and social stability with a view to political security. In the future, it is likely to gradually break the boundaries between internal and foreign affairs, and have stronger and more comprehensive coordinating functions, including maintaining social stability, fighting against the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism and guard against the penetration of external hostile forces, and even covering fields of national defense, diplomacy, economic and financial security.

The author is deputy director of the World Politics Research Institute, affiliated to the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.

(China Daily 11/18/2013 page8)