Deeply Study General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Discourses on Risk Prevention and Control

The sense of vigilance in times of peace [1]1 “居安思危” (ju an si wei) is a classical Chinese idiom from the Zuo Commentary on the Spring and Autumn Annals, meaning to be mindful of potential danger even in times of safety. embodies the survival wisdom passed down through five thousand years of Chinese civilization, and it is also the historical experience summed up by the Communist Party of China in its more than one hundred years of struggle. The world today is undergoing changes unseen in a century. While China has achieved remarkable development accomplishments, it also faces unprecedented risks and challenges in the political, scientific-technological, and social fields. General Secretary Xi Jinping, in response to changes in the world situation, the national condition, and the Party’s condition, has taken a holistic view of the two overall situations [2]2 “Two overall situations” (两个大局) refers to the overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the overall situation of changes unseen in a century in the world., focused on the goal of building a modern socialist power, comprehensively implemented the holistic approach to national security, and formed a series of important discourses on risk prevention and control. From the dimension of combining history and reality, these discourses systematically answer the scientific-technological origins, political stance, and social goals of risk prevention and control in the New Era, and provide guidance on strategic, fundamental, and directional issues. Exploring the triple logic of the genesis, value, and existence of risks in the scientific-technological, political, and social fields better promotes seizing opportunities for scientific-technological development and calmly responding to risks and challenges, providing important value guidance, a realistic foundation, and a goal basis for comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese-path modernization.

“居安思危”的忧患意识体现了中华文明五千多年传承不息的生存智慧，同时也是中国共产党在百余年来奋斗历程中总结的历史经验。当今世界正处于百年未有之大变局，我国取得举世瞩目发展成就的同时，在政治、科技和社会等领域也面临前所未有的风险挑战。习近平总书记根据世情、国情和党情的变化，统揽“两个大局”，着眼于现代化强国建设目标，全面贯彻落实总体国家安全观，形成关于风险防控的一系列重要论述，从历史与现实相结合的维度系统解答了新时代风险防控的科技溯源、政治立场和社会目标，对战略性、根本性和方向性问题作出指示。而基于科技、政治和社会领域风险的生成论、价值论和存在论的三重逻辑探索，更好地推动抓住科技发展机遇、从容应对风险挑战，为以中国式现代化全面推进中华民族伟大复兴提供了重要的价值指引、现实基础和目标依据。

Root of Genesis: Clarifying the Scientific-Technological Sources and Complex Diversity of Risks

生成根源：明晰风险的科技源头和复杂多元

The paradigm shift in modern scientific-technological development has gradually revealed high-tech risks. The rapid progress in high-tech fields, including artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things, has enhanced the convenience of life and improved human well-being. At the same time, the integrated innovation of technology clusters such as artificial intelligence, gene editing, and brain-computer interfaces has promoted the close integration of science and technology with engineering and industry, leading to the rapid development of cutting-edge technologies. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that “scientific and technological innovation and science popularization are the two wings for achieving innovative development,” emphasizing the important driving role of scientific and technological innovation for national development. However, the brighter the prospects, the more we must enhance our sense of vigilance, be prepared for danger in times of peace, and take precautions. The widespread application of these technologies also brings risks and challenges. As an emerging and constantly evolving form of risk, high-tech risk is gradually highlighting its importance as the origin and starting point of many risks.

现代科技发展范式转变，高科技风险逐步显现。高科技领域的飞速进步，包括人工智能、大数据、云计算、物联网等提升了生活便利性，增进了人类福祉；同时，人工智能、基因编辑、脑机接口等技术群组融合创新，推动科技与工程、产业紧密结合，前沿科技迅速发展。习近平总书记指出“科技创新、科学普及是实现创新发展的两翼”，强调了科技创新对于国家发展的重要推动作用。然而，越是前景光明，越是要增强忧患意识，做到居安思危、未雨绸缪，这些技术的广泛应用也带来了风险与挑战。作为一种新兴且不断演化的风险形态，高科技风险正逐渐凸显出作为众多风险起源与发端的重要性。

High-tech risks do not exist in isolation but are intertwined and integrated with risks in social, political, economic, military, cultural, and other fields. This integration not only exacerbates the complexity and diversity of risks but also promotes a situation where risks overlap and escalate. For example, with the widespread application of big data technology, risks such as personal information leakage and privacy infringement are becoming increasingly prominent. These risks not only concern individual rights but may also trigger a crisis of social trust. At the same time, the application of high technology in the military field, such as unmanned combat systems and cyber attack technologies, has not only changed the form of traditional warfare but also increased the complexity and uncertainty of the international security environment. Furthermore, high technology is closely linked to economic risks, cultural conflicts, etc., together forming an intricate risk network.

高科技风险并非孤立存在，而是与社会、政治、经济、军事、文化等多领域风险相互交织、融合共生。这种融合不仅加剧了风险的复杂性与多元性，更促使风险之间形成相互叠加、升级的态势。例如，随着大数据技术的广泛应用，个人信息泄露、隐私侵犯等风险日益凸显，这些风险不仅关乎个人权益，更可能引发社会信任危机。同时，高科技在军事领域的运用，如无人作战系统、网络攻击技术等，不仅改变了传统战争形态，更增加了国际安全环境的复杂性与不确定性。此外，高科技还与经济风险、文化冲突等紧密相连，共同构成了一个错综复杂的风险网络。

Against the background of the interweaving and integration of high-tech risks with risks in various social fields, risk issues exhibit more complex and diverse characteristics. These risks are no longer confined to a specific field or space but spread and expand from the local to the overall, from the singular to the comprehensive, from online to offline, extending to all areas of society. “We must coordinate development and security, adhere to the equal importance of development and security, ensure sustained, healthy, and stable economic growth in promoting high-quality development, and ensure social harmony and stability in maintaining and shaping national security.” For example, cybersecurity risks not only affect the security and stability of cyberspace but may also affect the real economy, national security, and even social stability through information leaks and cyber attacks. At the same time, high-tech risks may also lead to conflicts and reshaping of social ethics and morals, posing challenges to cultural heritage and innovation. Therefore, in the face of the new situation of high-tech risks in the New Era, we must firmly establish a political stance, strengthen the top-level design of risk prevention and control, and build a comprehensive, systematic, and efficient risk prevention and control system to ensure the healthy development of cutting-edge technologies and maintain social harmony and stability.

在高科技风险与社会各领域风险交织融合的背景下，风险问题呈现出更加复杂、多元的特征。这些风险不再局限于某一特定领域或空间，而是从局部走向整体、从单一走向综合、从线上走向线下，向全社会各个领域蔓延拓展。“要统筹发展和安全，坚持发展和安全并重，在推动高质量发展中确保经济持续健康稳定增长，在维护和塑造国家安全中确保社会和谐稳定。”例如，网络安全风险不仅影响网络空间的安全稳定，更可能通过信息泄露、网络攻击等波及实体经济、国家安全乃至社会稳定。同时，高科技风险还可能导致社会伦理道德的冲突与重塑，对文化传承与创新构成挑战。因此，面对新时代高科技风险新态势，必须坚定政治立场，加强风险防控的顶层设计，构建全面、系统、高效的风险防控体系，以确保前沿科技健康发展，维护社会和谐稳定。

Value Purpose: Adhering to the People-Centered and Life-Supreme Prevention and Control Principles

价值旨归：坚持以人民为中心和生命至上的防控原则

Scientific-technological progress and social development should aim at realizing human liberation and free and comprehensive development. Taking a firm stand with the people and being people-centered is not only the fundamental viewpoint of Marx’s scientific-technological ethics but also the fundamental value orientation of the Communist Party of China in leading the development of China’s scientific and technological undertakings. Scientific-technological development should uphold the original aspiration of people-oriented development, must not override human ethics and morality, and must not alienate humans into tools or even test subjects. In the process of scientific-technological development, humanistic care should be emphasized, proceeding from real people, taking resolving the principal contradiction in society as the core, and taking realizing the comprehensive development of human beings as the fundamental goal, so that the development and application of science and technology conform to human interests and needs, making science and technology truly serve the people, thereby dissolving the phenomenon of scientific-technological alienation and social ethical problems faced by humanity. Only when science and technology develop within a humanistic framework will they not easily trample on ethical boundaries. Science and technology are not a castle in the air; they must be built on the people-centered development thought, allowing the people to enjoy the rich fruits of scientific and technological innovation, and using this as a driving force to continuously promote the development of science and technology. The development and application of science and technology must fit the needs of the people, pay attention to the interests of the people, take the well-being of the people as the ultimate goal, truly realize the value of scientific and technological development and innovation, and play their due role in benefiting humanity.

科技进步与社会发展应以实现人的解放和自由全面发展为宗旨。站稳人民立场、以人民为中心，不仅是马克思科技伦理思想的根本观点，也是中国共产党领导我国科技事业发展的根本价值取向。科技发展应秉持以人为本的发展初心，不能凌驾于人类的伦理道德之上，更不能将人类异化为工具甚至是试验品。在科技发展过程中，应重视人文关怀，坚持从现实的人出发，以解决社会主要矛盾为核心，以实现人的全面发展为根本目标，使科技的发展与应用符合人类的利益和需求，让科技真正为人民服务，以消解人类所面临的科技异化现象和社会伦理问题。科学技术只有在人本主义框架下发展，才不会轻易践踏伦理的界限。科学技术不是空中楼阁，它要建立在以人民为中心的发展思想之上，让人民能够享受科技创新带来的丰厚成果，并以此为动力不断推进科学技术的发展。科技的发展和应用必须贴合人民的需求，关注人民的利益，以人民的福祉为最终目标，真正实现科技发展和创新的价值，发挥出造福于人的应有作用。

The people are the foundation of the Party and the source of its strength. Risk prevention and control must adhere to the fundamental leadership of the Communist Party of China, and the Party’s strength comes from the support and trust of the people. The people’s standpoint is the core value and basic stance of a Marxist ruling party. In the process of responding to diverse risks and challenges, we must closely rely on the masses of the people, fully trust the wisdom and strength of the people, and stimulate their initiative and creativity. Transform the correct propositions of risk prevention and control into the conscious actions of the people, forming a powerful joint force that unites the upper and lower levels to fight against risks and challenges. Therefore, in the work of risk prevention and control in the New Era, we must adhere to the people-centered development thought, proceed from the most concerned, most direct, and most realistic interests of the people, actively prevent and resolve major safety hazards around the people, ensure the safety of people’s lives and property, and thus enable the people to gain more sense of happiness and security.

人民是党的根基，是党的力量源泉。风险防控必须坚持中国共产党的根本领导，党的力量来自人民的支持和信任。人民立场是马克思主义执政党的核心价值观和基本立场。在应对多样化风险与挑战的过程中，必须紧密依靠人民群众，充分信任人民的智慧与力量，激发其积极性与创造性。将风险防控的正确主张转化为人民的自觉行动，形成上下一心、齐心协力抗击风险与挑战的强大合力。因此，在新时代的风险防控工作中，必须坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，从人民群众最关心、最直接、最现实的利益问题出发，积极防范和化解人民群众身边的重大安全隐患，确保人民群众的生命财产安全，从而让人民群众获得更多的幸福感和安全感。

Risk prevention and control should adhere to the value principle of putting the people first and life above all else. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Our Party comes from the people, takes root among the people, and works for the benefit of the people. Serving the people wholeheartedly is the Party’s fundamental purpose. We must take the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people as the fundamental starting point and落脚点 of all our work.” Entering the New Era, the political stance of risk prevention and control has become increasingly indispensable, and the concept of putting the people first and life above all else is the core idea of this stance. This concept not only profoundly reflects the Party’s deep concern for the fundamental interests of the people but also vividly demonstrates the inherent superiority of the socialist system. The ultimate goal of risk prevention and control is to ensure the safety of people’s lives and property, thereby maintaining social harmony, stability, and sustainable development. Therefore, fully integrating the concept of putting the people first and life above all else into all aspects of risk prevention and control constitutes the fundamental requirement of risk prevention and control work in the New Era. When formulating risk prevention and control strategies and deploying relevant measures, we must comprehensively and deeply consider the actual needs and fundamental interests of the people, ensuring that risk prevention and control work always adheres to the correct political direction and advances steadily. Adhere to being people-centered, and adhere to preventing risks for the people. Preventing and resolving major risks must be both institutionalized and humanized; it cannot rigidly apply a “one-size-fits-all” approach but should be adapted flexibly according to actual circumstances. At the same time, it is necessary to actively stimulate the people’s sense of responsibility and initiative in preventing and resolving major risks, thereby providing a strong backing and source of strength for preventing and resolving risks.

风险防控应坚持人民至上、生命至上的价值原则。习近平总书记强调：“我们党来自人民、扎根人民、造福人民，全心全意为人民服务是党的根本宗旨，必须以最广大人民根本利益为我们一切工作的根本出发点和落脚点。”进入新时代，风险防控的政治立场愈发凸显出不可或缺的重要性，而人民至上、生命至上的理念正是这一立场的核心理念所在。该理念不仅深刻体现了党对人民群众根本利益的深切关怀，也鲜明展示了社会主义制度的内在优越性。风险防控的终极目标是确保人民群众的生命财产安全，进而维护社会的和谐稳定与持续发展。因此，将人民至上、生命至上的理念全面融入风险防控的各个环节，构成了新时代风险防控工作的根本要求。在制定风险防控策略、部署相关措施时，必须全面、深入地考虑人民群众的实际需求与根本利益，确保风险防控工作始终坚持正确的政治方向，稳步前行。坚持以人民为中心，坚持风险为人民而防。防范化解重大风险既要制度化，也要人性化，不能死板地“一刀切”，而应当根据实际情况变通应对。同时，需要积极激发群众防范化解重大风险的责任心和积极性，从而为防范化解风险提供坚强后盾和力量源泉。

Manifestation of Existence: The Core Goal of Maintaining National Security and Social Stability

存在表征：维护国家安全与社会稳定的核心目标

Enhancing vigilance in times of peace is the distinct theme of risk prevention and control in the New Era. Faced with a complex and volatile international situation and arduous and heavy tasks of domestic reform, development, and stability maintenance, we must be mindful of potential dangers, and strengthen our awareness of risks, dangers, and responsibilities. In modern society, technological risks are increasingly prominent, widely penetrating multiple fields such as the economy, politics, culture, and ecology, exhibiting complex characteristics that cross domains, subjects, and levels. Risk identification is no longer confined to a single dimension or local scope; rather, it requires starting from a holistic societal perspective, comprehensively considering the multiple attributes of risks and their interconnections, so as to fully grasp the overall picture of risks and their potential impacts. As the representation of risks becomes more complex, the scope of risk subjects is also continuously expanding. In the context of the New Era, social individuals, organizations, and even the state have all become nodes in the risk network, potentially both the creators and the bearers of risks. This breadth of risk subjects means that risk prevention and control is no longer solely the responsibility of the government or specific institutions, but requires the participation and efforts of the entire society. At the same time, the interactivity among risk subjects has also significantly increased; a risk event in one domain or for one individual can easily trigger a chain reaction, affecting other domains or individuals. Therefore, in the process of risk identification and assessment, it is essential to focus on analyzing risk transmission pathways and diffusion effects, enabling more precise prediction and response to risks.

增强忧患意识是新时代风险防控的鲜明主题。面对复杂多变的国际形势和艰巨繁重的国内改革发展稳定任务，我们一定要居安思危，增强忧患意识、风险意识、责任意识。现代社会中，科技风险日益凸显，广泛渗透于经济、政治、文化、生态等多个领域，呈现出跨领域、跨主体、跨层次的复杂特性。风险识别不再局限于单一维度或局部范围，而是需要从社会整体视角出发，综合考虑风险的多元属性及其相互关联，以全面把握风险全貌和潜在影响。随着风险表征的复杂化，风险主体的范围也在不断扩大。在新时代背景下，社会个体、组织乃至国家都成为风险网络中的节点，既可能是风险的制造者，也可能是风险的承受者。这种风险主体的广泛性，使得风险防控不再仅仅是政府或特定机构的责任，而是需要全社会共同参与和努力。同时，风险主体之间的互动性也显著增强，一个领域或个体的风险事件很容易引发连锁反应，波及其他领域或个体。因此，在风险识别和评价过程中，必须注重分析风险传播路径和扩散效应，更加精准预测和应对风险。

Promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, and leveraging institutional advantages to respond to risks. Promoting the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity is an important task for risk prevention and control in the New Era. The modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity requires not only innovation and improvement at the institutional level but also, in practice, constant attention to the needs and interests of the people, continuously enhancing the capacity to respond to risk challenges. In the field of risk prevention and control, it is necessary to fully utilize institutional advantages, construct and improve the risk prevention and control system, clarify the division of responsibilities among governments at all levels and relevant departments, so as to form a working pattern of coordinated action. At the same time, it is essential to strengthen the rule of law in risk prevention and control, improve the relevant legal system and policy mechanisms, and provide solid legal support for risk prevention and control. Continuously elevate the modernization level of the national governance system and governance capacity, so as to more effectively respond to the various risk challenges faced in the New Era.

推动国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，发挥制度优势应对风险。推动国家治理体系和治理能力现代化，是新时代风险防控工作的重要任务。国家治理体系和治理能力现代化不仅要求在制度层面进行创新和完善，更要求在实践中时刻关注人民群众的需求和利益，不断提升应对风险挑战的能力。在风险防控领域，必须充分利用制度优势，构建和完善风险防控体系，明确各级政府及相关部门的职责分工，以形成协同作战的工作格局。同时，必须强化风险防控的法治建设，完善相关法律体系及政策机制，为风险防控提供坚实的法律支撑。持续提升国家治理体系和治理能力的现代化水平，以更有效地应对新时代所面临的各类风险挑战。

Constructing and improving risk monitoring, assessment, and early warning mechanisms has become key to achieving social stability and national security. It is necessary to improve the risk prevention and control mechanism, establish and improve the risk assessment mechanism, the decision-making risk evaluation mechanism, the risk prevention and control coordination mechanism, and the risk prevention and control responsibility mechanism. At the same time, it is also necessary to establish and improve cross-departmental and cross-regional coordination mechanisms, achieve information sharing and resource integration, so as to effectively respond to cross-domain and cross-regional risk challenges. General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on risk prevention and control point out the direction and focus for improving the risk prevention and control mechanism; we must pay attention to the systematic nature, coordination, and innovation of the mechanisms. In addition, strengthening the cultivation of public risk awareness and response capacity is also an indispensable part. Through education and training, enhance the overall risk resilience of society, gradually build an efficient, sensitive, and coordinated risk prevention and control system, and provide a solid guarantee for social stability and national security in the New Era.

构建和完善风险监测、研判、预警机制成为实现社会稳定与国家安全的关键。要完善风险防控机制，建立健全风险研判机制、决策风险评估机制、风险防控协同机制、风险防控责任机制。同时，还需要建立健全跨部门、跨地域的协同机制，实现信息共享和资源整合，以有效应对跨领域、跨地域的风险挑战。习近平总书记关于风险防控的重要论述指明了完善风险防控机制的方向和重点，我们要注重机制的系统性、协同性和创新性。此外，加强公众风险意识和应对能力的培养也是不可或缺的一环。通过教育和培训提高社会整体的风险抵御能力，逐步构建起高效、灵敏、协同的风险防控体系，为新时代的社会稳定与国家安全提供坚实保障。

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on risk prevention and control provide a comprehensive guiding framework for risk prevention and control in modern technological society. From the perspective of genesis, contemporary technological development possesses diversity and complexity, with high technology interwoven with various social fields bringing unprecedented risk challenges; the perspective of value emphasizes that technological development must adhere to a people-centered approach, ensuring that the application of technology conforms to human interests and ethical morality, thereby realizing comprehensive human development and well-being; the perspective of existence highlights the importance of maintaining national security and social stability, emphasizing the need to enhance vigilance in times of peace and promote the modernization of the national governance system, constructing a sound risk monitoring, assessment, and early warning mechanism, so as to effectively respond to the risk challenges of the New Era. These three perspectives are interrelated and internally unified, together forming an organic whole, providing important theoretical guidance and practical basis for the healthy development of science and technology in China and global risk governance.

习近平总书记关于风险防控的重要论述为现代科技社会的风险防控提供了全面的指导框架。从生成论视角看，当代科技发展具有多元性和复杂性，高科技与社会各领域交织带来前所未有的风险挑战；价值论视角强调科技发展必须坚持以人民为中心，确保科技的应用符合人类的利益和伦理道德，从而实现人的全面发展和幸福；存在论视角突出维护国家安全与社会稳定的重要性，强调通过增强忧患意识和推动国家治理体系现代化，构建完善的风险监测、研判、预警机制，以有效应对新时代的风险挑战。这三个视角相互关联、内在统一，共同构成一个有机的整体，为我国科技健康发展和全球风险治理提供了重要理论指导和实践依据。

(The author is a professor at the School of Marxism, Beihang University)

（作者系北京航空航天大学马克思主义学院教授）

Online editor: Huihui

网络编辑：慧慧