Conference on Compilation of Textbook Introduction to China’s National Security successfully held in Tongji University

 Hosted by the Institute for China & World Studies/the School of Political Science & International Relations (SPSIR) of Tongji University, the Conference on Compilation of Textbook Introduction to China’s National Security was successfully held in Conference Room 1802, Zhonghe Building, Tongji University on May 15, 2021. Experts and scholars from Tongji University, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), Jilin University, Shanghai Normal University and other institutions joined the discussions or provided relevant manuscripts to support the compilation. The conference was convened and presided over by Tongji Distinguished Professor Men Honghua, President of the Institute for China & World Studies and Dean of SPSIR.

 First of all, Professor Men introduced the original intention and direction of this compilation. He pointed out that China is currently moving from a big country to a major power in the world, with its national strategic interests rapidly expanding globally. As the boundaries of China’s national security are increasingly blurred, it is facing more diverse and complicated challenges. Thus, how to strengthen China’s national security strategy is a major strategic issue facing us at the moment. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, with the establishment of the Central National Security Commission as an opportunity, China has been pursuing a holistic approach to national security, with an aim to bring forth new ideas to the national security concept, adjust the layout of national security, and improve the national security strategy. As a social sciences discipline in colleges and universities with “governance – strategy – history of thought” as its teaching and research characteristics, the Political Science discipline of Tongji will closely combine the domestic and international situations to promote the building and design of China’s national security strategy through its efforts in teaching, research and consulting, especially in terms of curriculum design, textbook publishing and teaching system, in a bid to make contributions that can both respond to the call of the times and reflect its own characteristics. The textbook that contains the theories, fields and regions of China’s national security is not only a result of the long-term accumulation of the Political Science discipline of Tongji, but also a vision shared by domestic institutions to jointly promote exploration of teaching and research. This textbook will undoubtedly boost the development of disciplines related to national security.

 Next, the participants made presentations and had heated discussions on the chapter design, content style and writing plan of the textbook. After more than four hours of exchange and interaction, the participants reached a wider consensus on the details and put forward a variety of viewpoints, which has provided a unified direction and brand new dimensions for the compilation. This conference has effectively promoted the follow-up work.