It is necessary to establish the concept of "great national defense". Jin Yinan believes that in the face of the current security situation

September 16th is the 23rd National Defense Education Day in China. Recently, the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and other organizations issued a notice, which made important arrangements for organizing the "National Defense Education Month" in September this year. It emphasized the need to educate and guide cadres and the masses to strengthen their awareness of national defense and crisis awareness, and to consolidate the ideological consensus of caring for national defense, loving national defense, building national defense, and defending national defense. We know that "a country cannot stand without defense, and the people cannot be at ease without defense." National defense is a fundamental plan that relates to the life and death of the country and the nation. National defense education is the foundation for building and consolidating national defense, an important way to enhance national cohesion, and improve the quality of the people. It is related to the long-term and the overall situation. So, why is national security closely related to every citizen? What kind of security environment is China currently in? Stay tuned for the Southern Military Forum on National Defense Time and Space.

Data chart: Annual evaluation report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in Sweden

Li Yue:

Currently, the world is entering a period of turbulence and change, and China's external environment is becoming more complex and severe. According to a report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in Sweden in April this year, global military spending has entered an accelerated period, which to some extent indicates that we live in an increasingly unsafe world. At the same time, the United States continues to suppress and contain China, forming cliques with some allies and engaging in military alliances, provoking incidents in sensitive areas such as the East China Sea, South China Sea, China India border, and the Korean Peninsula, deliberately provoking confrontations between factions and damaging the security environment around China. Professor Yinan, what is your view on the current national security situation in China?

Jin Yinan: Overall, the current security environment in China has greatly improved compared to the Cold War era. The worst period of security environment in our foreign country was in the 1960s and 1970s. At that time, we had to deal with both American imperialism and the Soviet Union. And now the situation has undergone significant changes. In the 1960s and 1970s, incidents of US aircraft invading China's airspace and territorial waters occurred from time to time. Although similar situations still occur in the East China Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait, the area of invasion is getting further and further away from our maritime baseline. Why? Because our defense is getting stronger and stronger. Moreover, China's comprehensive national strength has undergone fundamental changes. Our gross domestic product has gone from less than 10% of the United States to now approaching 70% of the United States. Only with sufficient financial resources can a country build a relatively strong national defense. So, although our national security situation is still facing certain challenges today, our defense capabilities are completely different from the past.

Li Yue:

It has been proven that China's defense capability has greatly improved with the enhancement of national strength and the development of national defense and military capabilities. However, with the continuous intensification of strategic competition between China and the United States, there are still many people who are concerned about the current international security environment in which our country is located. Some netizens also believe that national defense is a matter of the country and the military, far away from ordinary people, and there is no need to worry too much. Professor Yinan, what tips do you have for such misunderstandings? Why is national defense construction closely related to every citizen?

Jin Yinan: Looking back at history, it is not difficult to see that modern China had a country but no defense. From the First Opium War and the Second Opium War, to the Sino Japanese First Sino Japanese War and the invasion of the Eight Nation Alliance into our country, our national borders were repeatedly shattered by Western strong ships and cannons. At that time, China could be said to have "a country without defense.". After the founding of New China, under the leadership of the CPC, our new China attaches great importance to national defense construction, and the first thing to solve is the national defense problem. The crossing of the Yalu River by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army to support North Korea in combat is a manifestation of New China to the world. New China is no longer the same as before. Since then, New China has ushered in decades of peace.

To this day, historical events such as the Opium War, the First Sino Japanese War, the September 18th Incident, and the July 7th Incident have gradually been forgotten by some people. Lenin once said, "Forgetting history means betrayal." This is actually a reminder that the security we enjoy today is the result of the accumulation of our predecessors, and we must also build a stronger and more solid national defense for future generations.

Currently, with the development of the times, our concept of national defense also needs to shift from the past "small national defense" to "large national defense". The so-called "small national defense" is to ensure the security of territory, territorial waters, and airspace. "Big national defense" is based on "small national defense" to protect China's expanding economic activity space, ensure the safety of China's maritime transportation channels, protect China's overseas assets, and safeguard the safety of overseas Chinese. At the same time, "national defense" should also include electromagnetic space, outer space, and space, which are all new national defense spaces and fields. Everyone is responsible for the security in these fields. Taking cybersecurity as an example, almost everyone today uses smartphones, which can capture and release various information at will. This brings new challenges to our national defense, and these involve every citizen, who needs to keep state secrets and enhance their awareness of national defense. A strong national defense requires a comprehensive understanding and effective maintenance of national security by all citizens.

Currently, we still have some traditional security tasks that have not been completed, but new security tasks have emerged in certain fields, such as network security, information security, outer space security, and maritime transportation channel security. In this situation, our national defense construction must also achieve a leap from tradition to modernity. We need to maintain both traditional national security and ensure security in new fields. Undoubtedly, this places higher demands on the quality of citizens.

Data image: Monument to Russian Unknown Heroes

Li Yue:

History has repeatedly proven that national defense is a security guarantee for the survival and development of a country, as well as a practical manifestation of the interests of citizens in terms of security and development. We just mentioned that the world is entering a new period of turbulence and change, and the instability and uncertainty of China's national security situation are increasing. The task of safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests is arduous and heavy, and it is even more necessary for the whole society to have a strong sense of concern, establish a solid defense concept, and always maintain a strong defense mobilization ability. Professor Yinan, in your opinion, how can we strengthen and improve the quality and efficiency of national defense education for all in the new era?

Jin Yinan: Let's take two examples. Looking at the United States first, there are many youth military academies that place great emphasis on military training for young people; At the same time, there are many teenagers in the United States who are learning to fly, learn aviation and navigation skills, and there is a significant gap between China and the United States in this regard. Although our population base is relatively large, we have significantly fewer talents in aviation and navigation compared to the United States. Because they attach great importance to cultivating these hobbies and skills among young people, and these trainings are the foundation of national defense construction. So from this perspective, it can be seen that the improvement of the overall quality of the people is of great help to the enhancement of national defense capabilities and the enhancement of military combat effectiveness.

Looking at Russia again, it is different from the United States. Russia has experienced multiple wars, and every city has a hero monument. Moreover, Russia has always had a tradition of laying flowers at the Nameless Hero Monument. I once heard a border defense commander say that he has visited the city of Khabarovsk in Russia. There, what moved him the most was when he saw in front of the Martyrs Memorial that the kindergarten teacher was telling the stories of heroes and martyrs with the children. The teacher cried while speaking, and the children also cried along. The spirit of heroism and patriotism gradually took root in the children's hearts through the teacher's passionate narration. This is Russia's defense education. Consolidating a strong national defense relies on advanced weapons and equipment, as well as national spirit. Only when material and spiritual elements are combined can a strong national defense of a great country be truly built.

So, national defense education should not only be a school education issue, but also an education that goes deep into social life and into every individual's life scene. How can a country become a true great power? The concept of national defense among the people is fundamental and a symbol of a strong country.