Fight terror risks in overseas projects with shared intelligence, Chinese ex-security official says

Name: Nine Chinese nationals among 13 killed in Pakistan bus blast
Uploaded: 2021-10-21T11:30:12.000Z
Duration: 1 min 51 s
Description: Nine Chinese nationals among 13 killed in Pakistan bus blast

China’s five-year plan recognises risks to overseas interests like belt and road projects but offers no security blueprint

Former public security vice-minister Chen Zhimin says countries need to establish a concept of “mutual security” based on shared intelligence

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Chen Zhimin (left), a member of the National Committee of China’s top advisory body, was vice-minister for public security until 2017. Photo: Nora Tam

Kinling Lo

Published: 7:30pm, 21 Oct 2021Updated: 10:41pm, 21 Oct 2021

Countries should step up intelligence sharing to protect overseas investments, according to a former senior Chinese public security official, as Beijing faces greater risks to its belt and road projects.

“In the face of challenges, countries need to establish a concept of mutual security,” Chen Zhimin, China’s vice-minister for public security until 2017, told a panel organised by the Beijing-backed Boao Forum in Changsha, Hunan province, on Monday.

“[Nations should] agree to share intelligence, rules, education and experiences – including hi-tech and big data components – on security matters, in order to achieve a new model of global development,” said Chen, also a former vice-minister of internet regulators the Cyberspace Administration of China. He is currently a member of the country’s top advisory body.

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Nine Chinese nationals among 13 killed in Pakistan bus blast

China’s latest five-year plan identified “protecting the rights and interests of Chinese overseas investments” as a key goal to ensure national “economic security”, acknowledging that there were increasing risks and uncertainties regarding the safety of China’s wide range of overseas projects under its Belt and Road Initiative.

But it gave no details on how to achieve such a goal.

Lu Wei, an expert at Zhongan Security Services, a government-backed company that was among the first to provide security training and protection for Chinese investment overseas, said it was clear that the belt and road scheme had been facing bigger security threats due to rising global terrorism threats and growing negative impressions about China.

“There needs to be speedy legislation on protecting overseas investment, so there can be legal grounds for taking action,” the security expert told Beijing Youth Daily.

“Secondly, there needs to be a government-level warning mechanism that issues alerts, guidance and emergency response protocols for any huge security risk, in order to minimise the loss of life and financial costs related to overseas Chinese investments.”

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