China’s national security apparatus vowed on Friday to fight back against a narrative war over its economic condition, elevating the issue about how to describe the status quo and outlook of the Chinese economy to the level of economic security.
The economic domain has become a “battlefield” of superpower rivalry, and dealing with various clichés denigrating China’s economy has become an external challenge, the ministry said on its WeChat account.
There are some people with ulterior motives. They are fabricating a China threat again
“Talk concerning China’s decline is in essence an intention to create a ‘narrative trap’ or a ‘cognitive distortion’,” it said.
“It aims to doubt or deny China’s socialist system and attempts to strategically contain China’s development.
“There are some people with ulterior motives. They are fabricating a China threat again … with the intention to disrupt market expectations and economic growth momentum.”
From outer space to seven seas, China’s 6 big economic priorities for 2024
From outer space to seven seas, China’s 6 big economic priorities for 2024
It also placed a focus on economic construction and listed development as China’s “biggest political priority”.
The growth rate would be higher than most developed nations, including the United States and European countries.
“The national security ministry must echo the top leadership’s mandate and we know the backdrop of intensifying rivalry with America,” said a Shanghai-based scholar, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.
“We still wonder if normal discussions about the problems of the economy will inadvertently cross the vague red line, now that Beijing clearly wants us to focus on the bright prospects.”
Earlier this month, it also defended Beijing’s high-profile investigation into foreign firms on national security grounds.
On Friday, the Beijing-based semi-official China Chamber of International Commerce set up a work committee to help solve complaints and problems raised by foreign-funded firms.
