China’s National Security Commission met in secret amid coronavirus pandemic
- Officials told to be on alert for political, economic and external risks at April gatherings, according to statements from local committees
- Set up in 2013 and with Xi Jinping as chairman, little is known about the body, how it is organised or operates
The controversial legislation – which is expected to be passed in Beijing on Tuesday – will pave the way for the city to set up its own national security commission. The law will target secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign or external forces.
Set up in 2013, the central commission was seen as an attempt by Beijing to streamline coordination of national security matters, modelled on the US National Security Council. Officially, its aim is to respond to challenges, both domestic and foreign, including over sovereignty issues, security, development interests, political security and social stability. Xi added biosecurity to that list in February after the coronavirus emerged in central China in December.
The meeting – the commission’s third full gathering since 2018 – was not reported in official media. But it was later mentioned in statements from local security committee meetings – where its messages were apparently passed down at the local level – including those of Zhejiang and Jilin provinces. Local officials at those meetings “thoroughly studied a key speech of Xi’s made at the third NSC meeting”, the statements said.