On January 8, Esprit de Corps Magazine published a byline article titled Enhancing Global Security: A Commitment to a Safer World by the Chinese Ambassador to Canada, H. E. CONG Peiwu. Here is the full text:

How safe is China? The answer to this question is perhaps more convincing from a foreigner living in China. A Canadian expat based in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, recently shared on Twitter that in his two decades of living in China, he has never "witnessed a drug addict, tent city or violent incident. This observation may explain why the police in China do not routinely carry firearms, - because it is a safe environment".

Beyond such personal experiences, China's sense of security is also supported by statistical data. Since 2012, the public's sense of security has consistently remained high. There has been a continuous decrease in the total number of criminal cases filed, spanning the eight major types of crime, as well as a decrease in the number of public security cases over these same eleven years. An astounding 99.9 percent resolution rate has been achieved in current murder cases. This growing sense of public security is inseparable from a stable and strong China. The Chinese government places a high priority on its Peaceful China Initiative, which is based upon a people-centric approach. China's national police service also closely follow those issues which could impact public safety. They have adopted a zero tolerance approach to any crimes which involve either drugs or firearms. In addition, the Chinese people themselves actively participate in grass-root level social governance. This collective approach contributes to what is known as the Fengqiao Experience (aka mobilizing the masses) in the modern era.

Creating a sense of public security requires a sustained effort. Since the 1990's, telecom fraud has continued to evolve and it has expanded rapidly throughout the world. The result has had a severe impact upon the public's sense of security and has created a global conundrum. In 2022 in Canada alone, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) received more than 90,000 fraud reports, which resulted in over $530 million (CAD) in losses. This represents a whopping 40 percent increase over the previous year.

To combat telecom fraud, China has taken unprecedented measures, which include implementing Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law, establishing a working mechanism led by the police and involving multiple departments, carrying out international law enforcement cooperation, and launching a people's war against fraud. In China, since the beginning of August 2023, the number of telecom fraud cases has decreased continuously.

In addition, China has always faithfully fulfilled its international responsibilities. The country actively participates in United Nations peacekeeping operations, which contributes to global peace and security.

An excerpt from the diary of a Chinese UN peacekeeper reads in part, “In this vast world, I may be like a small feather. But even so, I want this feather to carry a wish for peace.” These were the immortal words of He Zhihong, a Chinese police officer who died in the line of duty while serving on a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti in 2010. Zhihong left behind a 4 year old son, her husband and her elderly partents. To date, China has deployed nearly 2,700 peacekeeping police officers on United Nations peacekeeping missions. In the noble pursuit of peace, eight Chinese police peacekeepers have sacrificed their lives in the strife-ridden Island nation of Haiti alone.

Both China and Canada actively participate in United Nations peacekeeping missions. Notably, Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers Douglas Coates and Mark Gallagher lost their lives alongside those eight Chinese police officers in Haiti. Their collective sacrifice serves as a poignant reminder of how invaluable is the provision of a sense of security.

The sense of security affects the lives of all people. Chinese President Xi Jinping has proposed the Global Security Initiative, which aims to  eliminate the root causes of international conflicts, improve global security governance, encourage joint international efforts to bring more stability and certainty to a volatile and changing era, and promote durable peace and development in the world. China is willing to share its experiences in security governance, collaborate with other nations to tackle traditional and non-traditional security challenges, and to contribute wisdom and strength to global security governance.

The ultimate objective remains that of enhancing the sense of security worldwide.