Xi to head China’s national security commission
January 24, 2014, 11:18 am

According to a major decision by the Third Plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee in November last year, the national security commission will upgrade systems and strategies for national security [Xinhua]

The Chinese President will head the apex security body, the Political Bureau of the ruling Communist Party decided on Friday.

Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang will be the deputy head of the commission, according to a decision adopted at a political bureau meeting.

The announcement comes amid an increase in Beijing’s counter-terrorist activities, even as a group called the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP) sent out ominous threats of future attacks on China.

According to a major decision by the Third Plenum of the 18th CPC Central Committee in November last year, the national security commission will upgrade systems and strategies for national security.

“State security and social stability are preconditions for reform and development”, said Xi Jinping while announcing the formation of the body in November.

The Chinese President said China is facing two challenges: “internationally, the country needs to safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests; domestically, political security and social stability should be ensured”.

Xi has indicated that “predictable and unpredictable risks has been increasing remarkably”.

China’s energy-rich Xinjiang has been beset by violence as 91 people were killed in the region in recent months.

China has blamed some of the violence on Islamist militants with connections to foreign groups, including al Qaeda, plotting holy war.

Beijing last Friday stepped up its anti-terror campaign by announcing a regulation for freezing accounts suspected of links to terror activities.

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region also plans to double the budget for its public security bureau to fight terrorism this year, according to a China Daily report.

Earlier this month China slammed the US decision to release the last three Uygur Chinese Guantanamo inmates sending them to Slovakia.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said those released were members of the separatist East Turkestan Islamic Movement, which Beijing labels a terror group.

“They are genuine terrorists. They not only threaten China’s security, they will threaten the security of the country that receives them,” said Qin.

TBP and Agencies