Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of global vision in the country’s security work at a seminar in Beijing on Friday. He stated that China must proactively shape its external security environment, strengthen cooperation in the security field and guide the international community to jointly safeguard international security.

Xi made the remarks while presiding over a seminar on national security as president of the National Security Commission (NSC), which was set up in accordance with a decision made at the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in November 2013.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C), who heads the National Security Commission (NSC), presides over a seminar on national security in Beijing on February 17, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang, two vice presidents of the NSC, also attended the seminar. Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed that safeguarding national security requires a grasp of rules in the context of the great changes in the international order, and that the planning work must give priority to the prevention of risks.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who heads the National Security Commission (NSC), presides over a seminar on national security in Beijing on February 17, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

"The overall direction of multipolarization of the world, the globalization of the economy and the democratization of international relations has not changed," said Xi.

"No matter how the international situation changes, we must maintain our strategic steadiness, strategic confidence and strategic patience," said the Chinese president, who called for global vision in national security work and “taking in China’s own hand the strategic initiative to safeguard national security.”

He called for an overall national security outlook, emphasizing the importance of political, economic, territorial, social and cyber security.

Xi urged the country to enhance a prevention and control system for public security, improve overall capability in social management and solve problems and disputes at their roots.

He stressed that efforts should be made to enhance security in fields including transport and production of hazardous chemicals, and improve fire prevention and control so that major accidents do not occur.

A firm fence of cyber security should be consolidated, and efforts should be made to better safeguard cyber security and key information infrastructure, according to Xi.