White paper offers strategic road map for fighting terrorism

The white paper titled "China's Legal Framework and Measures for Counterterrorism", released recently by the State Council Information Office, reflects the strategic importance of Chinese wisdom in eradicating terrorism through legal measures.

The document highlights China's strong resolve to fight and eliminate terrorism and terrorist activities. China has long faced the real threat of terrorism, with hundreds of casualties in terrorist attacks. It has adopted holistic, comprehensive and logic-based national strategies in combating terrorism by holding sagacity of law and neutrality of the judicial system as having a human face, and discouraging the naked use of force. The white paper will also help dispel disinformation and refute rumors, especially regarding China's counterterrorism efforts in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The State Council Information Office has previously released several white papers relating to counterterrorism work in China's Xinjiang region, and these focused mainly on counterterrorism, deradicalization, human rights protection and vocational education and training, showing the progress that Xinjiang has made in terms of human rights protection.

Summing up the characteristics of China's counterterrorism efforts over the past decades, the white paper is China's first systematic exposition of the legal system and practice of its counterterrorism work, which will help the outside world gain a comprehensive understanding of the country's counterterrorism legislation and practices.

China uses law and people-centric measures that cover all aspects of humanity, including human values, protection of basic rights, and the safety and security of the common people, while fighting terrorism.

Chinese law prescribes the powers and responsibilities of law enforcement and judicial agencies in handling cases, emphasizing and guaranteeing impartiality, transparency, openness and accountability, with no violation of the law of the land in case management.

Regarding the strengthening of oversight, the document notes that the powers of law enforcement and judicial agencies are subject to oversight from people's congresses, the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at various levels, and the general public, in addition to statutory and internal oversight.

China regards respecting and protecting human rights as an underlying principle in improving its legal framework and its practices in the field of counterterrorism.

The white paper's central theme, that terrorism is the common enemy of humanity and that it poses a serious threat to global peace, has universal appeal in urging all members of the international community to share responsibility in fighting it.

China has clearly demonstrated the Chinese spirit of joint efforts, international cooperation, openness, transparency and sharing responsibility to overcome this menace that causes socioeconomic decline, social disintegration, political instability and the compromising of national sovereignty and territorial integrity around the globe.

Thus, it is the first strategic road map to globalize the implications of further enhancing the effectiveness of national, regional and international counterterrorism measures.

The document rightly showcases China's constant efforts to fight terrorism through building and following a sound legal framework, promoting stringent, unbiased, procedure-based law enforcement, and ensuring the objective administration of justice and the effective protection of human rights. As a result, Chinese policymakers have successfully safeguarded domestic and public security, protected people's lives and property, and contributed to global and regional security and stability.

The paper says counterterrorism efforts should be in complete compliance with the norms and principles of the United Nations, that measures should be adapted to national conditions, and that legal institutions should be an essential part of global efforts to combat terrorism under the rule of law.

China's counterterrorism work has contributed to regional and global security and stability. Furthermore, by upholding the vision of a global community of shared future, China is willing to work closely with other countries to push forward the counterterrorism cause as part of global governance.

China has joined 12 global counterterrorism conventions and facilitated the formulation of documents such as the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States Agreement on Border Defense Cooperation. Therefore, it has played an important role in maintaining international and regional security and stability.

The Chinese government has succeeded in curbing the spread of terrorism, protecting citizens' rights to life, health and property, and maintaining social stability. It has also taken firm actions to protect the lawful rights and interests of citizens and organizations, and to guard against discrimination based on geographical area, ethnic group or religion.

The author is executive director of the Center for South Asia and International Studies in Islamabad, Pakistan.