Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No. 7, 2021

A Theoretical Outline for National Security Studies for the New Era

(Abstract)

Zhang Yuyan and Feng Weijiang

China is tasked with attaining the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and facing the global changes unseen in a century. To this end, it is pressing for China’s national security studies in the new era, under the guidance of a holistic concept of national security, to provide an analytical framework and scholarly insights. Seven theoretical propositions can be derived when we clarify the relationships between security level, security capacity, and security threats, they are: Absolute security is out of reach; Growing security investment that eyes absolute security will create a security predicament; Under closed conditions, the country should put the brakes on building relative security when it achieves equilibrium security; Under open conditions, hegemonic powers may generate security capabilities that exceed equilibrium security and tend to “protect” or plunder countries whose development has relatively high output efficiency and ones whose security capabilities have relatively low output efficiency; Following separate technologies for dealing with intentional and accidental threats may achieve a higher security level than managing them in the same way; The “Great Yu Improvement” pattern is pivotal to building a community of shared future for mankind as it can transform other actors’ capacity to address intentional threats into a capacity for shielding against accidental threats; And proper allocation of excessive security capability and stronger national systems security capability are major solutions to the uncertain nature of security threats.