At a recent meeting on national security, President Xi Jinping highlighted the "over-all national security outlook". This was first put forward at the first meeting of the National Security Committee of the Communist Party of China last year, indicating that a national security mechanism had officially been put into operation.

China's stable and sustainable development is the top priority for China's national security, and the essential aim of China's overall national security is people's security.

Xi said the national security agencies should strictly discipline themselves and forge a team that is "determined, pure, trustworthy, devoted and competent".

Since China is facing a complicated and fast changing domestic and international environment with uncertainty and risks, security agencies have the task of safeguarding national security and social stability.

The central leadership places great importance on national security and the country will step up efforts to prevent and crack down on activities that compromise national security, he said.