Enlightenment from Security

Chinas fully-functioning connection with the international Internet over the past two decades has triggered social reform， bringing with it the concepts and values of openness， freedom， sharing， and innovation. Many regard it as a renewed openingup since the launch in 1978 of the reform and opening-up policy.

When reviewing and summing up the 20-year history of the Internet in China， most salient is its innovative effect. Such innovation has both changed the Chinese peoples lifestyle and promoted economic， political， cultural， scientific， and educational development， so advancing profound social reform and driving China towards greater openness and vitality. Through the Internet， the world is now aware of Chinas capability to progress and to share. Our wealth and experience over the past 20 years have empowered the Internet and propelled Chinas development.

Internet security is now an issue of ever greater importance and practical significance to the advance of the Internet in China and to the country itself.

The exposure of the U.S. PRISM program in 2013 brought home to countries around the world， including China， the importance of cyber security. Chinas new leadership is consequently committed to reinforcing Internet information security. February 27， 2014 saw establishment of the Central Internet Security and Informatization Leading Group， headed by President Xi Jinping. This signified Chinas upgrading of cyber security to a national strategy.

The Fourth Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia （CICA）， held in Shanghai from May 20 to 22 under the theme “Enhancing Dialogue， Trust and Coordination for a New Asia of Peace， Stability and Cooperation，” promoted cooperation in Asian security to a historical new high.

Asia， a continent whose area and GDP both exceed one third of the worlds total， has always been a vital region as regards security. Although future development of the Internet on the continent may be a matter of conjecture， expectations about Asian security are clear. They are manifest in the new Asian security concept of mutual trust， coordination， development and mutual benefit as proposed by President Xi Jinping at the Fourth Summit of the CICA. He said in his speech entitled “New Asian Security Concept for New Progress in Security Cooperation”： “The CICA is the largest and most representative regional security forum with the largest number of participants. Over the past two decades or more， the CICA has fulfilled its responsibility to strengthen mutual trust and coordination and promote Asias security and stability. It has followed the principle of consensus building and made important contributions to increasing understanding， seeking common ground and deepening cooperation.”

We can say that the Internet has truly brought the good life to the Chinese people， and that the new Asian security concept has benefited China and all of Asia.

For whether the Internet or the future of Asia， as President Xi Jinping pointed out， sustainable security means focusing on both development and security. As the Chinese saying goes， a tree needs strong solid roots to grow tall； a river needs an unimpeded source to flow far. Development is hence the foundation of security， and security is the precondition for development.