Abstract
Besides traditional security challenges and conflicts that arise from territorial disputes and strategic competition with other powers, in recent years, nontraditional security challenges have also taken their toll on China. Beijing’s tight clutch over separation forces in East Turkestan (Xinjiang) and Tibet is beginning to be pried open by terrorist acts that challenge China’s sovereignty and national security. The Kunming Station attack and the Urumqi Station bombing incident in 2014 incurred heavy casualties and placed an immediate demand on China to confront terrorism. This chapter discusses the development of China’s counterterrorist policies in three parts: part one reviews the evolution of counterterrorist thinking in China; part two explores the current sources of terrorist challenge against China; and part three examines policy measures China has adopted in response to the challenges.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
The Three-anti (sanfan) Campaign and the Five-anti (wufan) Campaign were reform movements initiated by Mao Zedong to eliminate Chinese cities of corruption and enemies of the state. The Three-anti campaign in 1951 targeted corruption, waste, and bureaucracy. The subsequent Five-anti campaign in 1952 tackled bribery, theft of state property, tax evasion, cheating on government contracts, and stealing of state economic information.
- 2.
Mao Zedong’s Three Worlds Theory proposes that the world could be divided into three worlds based on political and economic status. The first world consists of superpowers such as the USA and the Soviet Union; the second world consists of lesser developed powers such as the UK, France, Germany, Japan, and Canada; and the third world is made up of developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
References
Anti-terror Law (Draft Proposal). (2014, November 3). http://www.npc.gov.cn/npc/xinwen/lfgz/flca/2014-11/03/content_1885027.htm.
Areddy, J. T. (2014, November 20). China terrorism debate: Does the Internet kill people?. http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/11/20/china-terrorism-debate-does-the-internet-kill-people/.
Armstrong, J. D. (1977). Revolutionary diplomacy: Chinese foreign policy and the united front doctrine. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Bush reassures China. BBC News. March 23, 2001. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1236923.stm.
Cao, Y. (November 20, 2014). Cyber terrorism sparks Internet debate. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-11/20/content_18947371.htm.
Cao, Z., & Zhao, G. (2011). jinfang cheng qiyiba shu yanzhong baoli kongbu shijian. (Police Deems 7/18 Incident as a Terrorist Incident of Serious Violence).
Chang, K.-M. (2012, June). hexie shehui de tiaozhan: zhonggong shehui zhong de quntixin shijian wenti tanxi (The challenge of harmonious society: An analysis of mass incidents in China). Hungkuang Journal, 66, 62–77.
Chen, G., & Chun, T. (2005). Zhongguo Nongmin Diaocha (An investigation of Chinese farmers) (pp. 179–204). Taipei: Vastplain Publishing.
China calls for international understanding, support to its fight against terrorism. Xinhua News. March 4, 2014a. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/special/2014-03/04/c_133159009.htm.
Eighth Amendment to the Criminal Law of the PRC. February 25, 2011. http://www.china.com.cn/policy/txt/2012-01/14/content_24405284.htm.
Falkowski, M., & Lang, J. (2014). Hostages to Moscow, clients of Beijing: Security in Central Asia as the role of the west diminishes. Warsaw: Centre for Eastern Studies, Osrodek Studiow Wschodnich.
Fearey, R. (1978). Introduction to international terrorism. In M. Livingston (Ed.), International terrorism in the contemporary world (pp. 25–35). Westport: Greenwood Press.
Feng, R. shandong fangmin renrou zhadan baofu zhengfu buzuowei (Shandong Human Bomb Revenges Incapable Government). September 3, 2012. http://www.rfa.org/cantonese/news/petitioner_suicide_bomb-09032012094749.html/story_main?encoding=traditional.
Herz, P. J. (1995). Where human rights don’t matter. World & I, 10(9), 54–59.
Hsu, S.-C. (2007). ruanjilu yueshu: zhonggong qianghua jiandu zhi zhenggai de neizai xianzhi (Soft disciplinary constraint: The Internal constraint of the political reform of supervision in the Chinese Party-State). Zhongguo Dalu Yanjiu (Journal of Mainland China Studies), 50(2), 35–60.
International Campaign for Tibet. (2014, July 31). Acts of significant evil: The criminalization of Tibetan self-immolations. ICT Special Report.
Kim, S. S. (1979). China, the United Nations, and world order. Princeton: Princeton University.
Lampton, D., & Ewing, R. D. (2004). The U.S.-China relationship facing international security crises: Three case studies in post-9/11 bilateral relations: Three case in post-9/11 bilateral relations. Washington DC: The Nixon Center.
Le-yi, Q. (2014, March 14). changsha zai bao jiti kansha liuren siwang (Another incident of mass slaughter in Changsha, six dead). http://www.stormmediagroup.com/opencms/news/detail/ca4f3a58-ab2b-11e3-883e-ef2804cba5a1/?uuid=ca4f3a58-ab2b-11e3-883e-ef2804cba5a1.
Li, D. (2014a, June 26). guangdongsheng gonganting fankong zongdui guapai: weihu jingji fazhan shehui wending (Guangdong Police Department establishes anti-terrorist squadron to maintain economic development and social stability). http://www.chinanews.com/fz/2014/06-26/6321366.shtml.
Li, X. (2014b, March 1). kunming huochezhan fasheng baoli xiji shangbairen sishang (Violent attack at Kunming Railway Station, hundreds dead and wounded). http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/trad/china/2014/03/140301_china_kunming_attack.
Li, Y. (2011, May 28). fuzhou jinfang kancha qianmingqi zhusuo quzheng (Fuzhou Police Investigate Qian Dwelling for Evidence). Far East Daily. http://www.dfdaily.com/html/33/2011/5/28/610554.shtml.
Liang, S., Gui, T., & Cheng, L. (2014, October 29). zhongguo biaoshi jiang zhuajin chutai fankongfa (China expresses will to quickly establish anti-terror law). http://www.npc.gov.cn/npc/cwhhy/12jcwh/2014-11/02/content_1884665.htm.
Lin, C. (2015, January). China and the Islamic State: Interview. http://mercury.ethz.ch/serviceengine/Files/ISN/187298/ipublicationdocument_singledocument/111c3e60-dd19-4123-8c4d-f2972e90fff6/en/311_Lin.pdf.
Liu, G. (2012). fankongbuzhuyi yu zhongguo dalu churujing guanlifa de yingdui (Anti-terrorism and China’s response through the exit and entry administration law). Conference paper, Central Police University.
Liu, J., & Liu, Y. (2007). zhongyin lianhe yanxi yuanman jieshu (China-India joint exercise concludes successfully). http://mil.huanqiu.com/china/2007-12/39220.html.
Liu, X. (2014, October 28). CCP decision on major issues pertaining to comprehensively promoting the rule of law. http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-10/28/c_1113015330.htm.
McDermott, R. (2012). China leads SCO peace mission 2012 in Central Asia. Eurasia Daily Monitor, 9(121). https://jamestown.org/program/china-leads-sco-peace-mission-2012-in-central-asia/.
Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China. (2007). Regulations of the people’s Republic of China on nuclear export control. http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/swfg/swfgbf/201101/20110107350738.shtml.
Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China. (2011). Regulations of the people’s Republic of China on the export control of nuclear dual-use items and related technologies. http://www.mofcom.gov.cn/article/swfg/swfgbf/200703/20070304475187.shtml.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. (2014). Visit by Minister of Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida to the Krygz Republic. http://www.mofa.go.jp/erp/ca_c/kg/page22e_000455.html#section1.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. (2014). Xi Jinping attends SCO summit in Dushanbe and delivers important speech stressing gathering people’s will and power and coordinating sincerely to push to a new level. http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/topics_665678/zjpcxshzzcygyslshdsschybdtjkstmedfsllkydjxgsfw/t1191482.shtml.
National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS), Japan. (2015). 2014 Zhongguo Anquan Zhanlue Baogao (2014 China Security Report). Tokyo: NIDS.
Navarro, P. (2007). Zhongguo Zhanzheng Jijiang Daolai (The Coming China Wars). Translated by Nai-an Xu, Si-yu Kuo, Duan-mu Lin and Jing-yao Li Taipei: Peisheng.
Ninth Amendment to the Criminal Law of the PRC. (2014, November 3). http://www.npc.gov.cn/npc/lfzt/rlys/2014-11/03/content_1885122.htm.
Potter, P. B. K. (2013, Winter). Terrorism in China. Growing threats with global implications. Strategic Studies Quarterly, 7(4), 70–92.
Seventh Amendment to the Criminal Law of the PRC. (2009, February 28). http://big5.china.com.cn/policy/txt/2009-03/06/content_17389279.htm.
Sixth Amendment to the Criminal Law of the PRC. June 29, 2006. http://www.china.com.cn/chinese/law/1270574.htm.
Shan, W. (2013, October 30). jipuche chongzhuan Tiananmen jinshuiqiao bei dingxing wei kongbu xiji (Jeep crashed into Tiananmen square deemed as terrorist attack). http://news.takungpao.com.hk/society/topnews/2013-10/2004051.html.
Shaw, S. (2014, October 17). zhongguo zai zizang zhixing jilie de fankongbuzhuyi yundong (China implements aggressive counterterrorist campaign in Tibet). http://www.thetibetpost.com/zh/news/tibet/4251-chinas-aggressive-counter-terrorism-campaign-in-tibet.
Song, D. (2014). hunan fankong zongdui chengli pei zongjia chao wubaiwanyuan dingjian zhuangbei (Hunan anti-terrorist squadron established equipped with cutting edge equipments worth over five million Yuan). http://news.takungpao.com.hk/mainland/focus/2014-08/2657980.html.
Stohl, M., & Lopez, G. (1984). The state as terrorist. London: Aldwych.
The Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China. (1997). Criminal law of the people’s Republic of China. http://www.gov.cn/flfg/2009-08/27/content_1403324.htm.
The Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China. (2006). Anti-money laundering regulation of the People’s Republic of China. http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2006-10/31/content_429245.htm.
The Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China. (2009). Regulations on official development assistance. http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2009/content_1347966.htm.
The Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China. (2012). Exit and entry administration law of the People’s Republic of China. http://www.gov.cn/flfg/2012-06/30/content_2174944.htm.
The National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China. (2000). Decision regarding the punishment of criminals engaged in aircraft highjacking. http://www.npc.gov.cn/wxzl/gongbao/2000-12/05/content_5004577.htm.
The National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China. (2001). Decision on exercising criminal jurisdiction over the crimes prescribed in the international treaties to which the People’s Republic of China is a party or has acceded. http://www.npc.gov.cn/wxzl/gongbao/2001-02/06/content_5004485.htm.
The National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China. (2009). Decision to amend some laws. http://www.gov.cn/flfg/2009-08/27/content_1403326.htm.
The People’s Bank of China. (2007). Administrative measures for financial institutions’ report of transactions suspected of financing for terrorist purposes. http://www.pbc.gov.cn/publish/zhengwugongkai/502/1816/18161/18161_.html.
Third Amendment to the Criminal Law of the PRC. (2001, December 29). http://www.china.com.cn/chinese/PI-c/92283.htm.
Tiezzi, S. (2015, February 3). In war on terror, China takes aim at Tibet. The Diplomat. http://thediplomat.com/2015/02/in-war-on-terror-china-takes-aim-at-tibet/.
Tsai, Y.-M. (2014). fankong yu weiwen: xinjiang kongbu gongji shijian yu jinlai zhonggong fankong zuowei zhi yanjiu (Anti-terrorism and maintaining stability: A study of Xinjiang terrorist attacks and recent anti-terrorist actions by the CCP). Zhanlue yu Pinggu (Defense Strategy and Assessment Journal), 5(3), 69–96.
Wang, C. (2014a). beijing jingfang chengli fankong zongdui shisi quyu yi fenzhongnei chuzhi tufa (Beijing police establishes anti-terrorist squadron emergencies throughout 14 districts to be handled in 1 minute). http://news.china.com.cn/2014-05/23/content_32466042.htm.
Wang, Y. (2014b). guoanwei xietiao fankong sidazhineng ding juece (NSC coordinates anti-terrorism and decides on four functions). http://paper.wenweipo.com/2014/05/07/CN1405070007.htm.
Wang, Y.-W. (2013). zhongguo dalu qianghua fankong zuowei zhi tantao (A discussion of Mainland China’s reinforcement of anti-terror activities). Conference paper, Central Police University.
Wee, S.-L. (2015, January 20). Human rights watch says China draft terrorism law a ‘license to commit abuses’. http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/20/us-china-terrorism-idUSKBN0KT0IL20150120.
Weitz, R. (2010). China’s growing clout in the SCO: Peace mission 2010. China Brief, 10(20), 7–11.
Wu, G. (2014, July 30) zhongguo zhongdong teshi: jiangdu fenzi yu xuliya ji yilake shoushun (China’s Middle East envoy: Xinjiang independence advocates receive training in Syria and Iraq). Nanhua Morning News. http://www.nanzao.com/sc/china/33700/zhong-guo-zhong-dong-te-shi-jiang-du-fen-zi-yu-xu-li-ya-ji-yi-la-ke-shou-xun.
xiamen BRT gongjiaoche qihuo baozhaan xuangao zhengpo (Xiamen BRT explosion case closed). June 8, 2013. http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/trad/china/2013/06/130608_xiamen_bus_suspect.
Yan, H. (2009, June 19). zhongxin hezuo 2009 anbao lianxi xunlian juxing kaixun yishi (Opening ceremony China-Singapore “Cooperation 2009” joint security training). Xinhua News. http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2009-06/19/content_11569250.htm.
yaxin fenghui zai hu juxing xi jinping zhuchi bing zuo zhuzhi jianghua (CICA held in Shanghai Xi Jinping plays host and makes keynote speech). Xinhua News. May 21, 2014b. http://www.xinhuanet.com/world/yxfhzb/index.htm.
Yu, J. Y. (2009, December). dangqian woguo quntixing shijian de zhuyao leixing ji jiben tezheng (The main types and basic characteristics of China’s current mass incidents). Journal of China University of Political Science and Law, 6), 114–160.
Zhang, J. (2010). zhongguo zhoubian kongbuzhuyi xinshi ji qi yinxiang (The development of terrorism in China’s vicinity and its implications). Conference paper, Central Police University.
Zhang, T. (1995, April). kongbuzhuyi: guoji shehui guanzhu de yige jiaodian (Terrorism: A focus of the international community). Shishi (Current Affairs), (4), 51–53.
Zhang, W. (2011, June 6). zhongguo renmin jiefangjun he yinni guominjun juxing tezhong budui lianhe xunlian (China’s PLA and the Indonesian National Armed Forces conduct joint exercise of special forces). Xinhua News. http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2011-06/06/c_121500365.htm.
Zhongtongshe. (2012, March 1). xinjiang yecheng shisan wugu minzhong zao cansha (Thirteen innocent civilians killed in Kargilik, Xinjiang). Sina News. http://dailynews.sina.com/bg/news/int/chinapress/20120301/02303193090.html.
Zhu, W. (2011, March). zhongdong kongbuzhuyi quanqiu zhili yu zhongguo de fankong zhengce (Middle East terrorism, global governance and China’s anti-terrorist policy). Alabo Shijie Yanjiu (Arab World Studies), 2, 3–9.
Zou, W. (2013, June 27). xinjiang shanshan fasheng baoli kongbu xiji anjian (Violent terrorist attack in Piqan, Xinjiang). Xinhua News. http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2013-06/27/c_116319778.htm.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2017 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Tai-Ting Liu, T., Chang, Km. (2017). In the Name of Integrity and Security: China’s Counterterrorist Policies. In: Romaniuk, S., Grice, F., Irrera, D., Webb, S. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Global Counterterrorism Policy. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55769-8_31
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55769-8_31
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-55768-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-55769-8
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)