In Zhoushan, Zhejiang, located at the coastal defense forefront, local national security authorities have coordinated deployments to conduct regular national security education on islands, in fishing villages, and at schools. Fishermen have internalized the importance of safeguarding national security and put it into practice, actively monitoring for unusual vessels and suspicious individuals during their work at sea. They have repeatedly identified and reported clues related to national security, demonstrating positive interaction between national security agencies and the public.
Established in March 2019, the Southwest University of Political Science and Law's Student Lecture Group on the Holistic View of National Security was the first university student group in China dedicated to promoting this concept. Over seven years, it has delivered over 800 themed lectures. The team has grown from an initial 12 members to more than 100, with participation expanding from undergraduates to include master's and doctoral students.
These two cases illustrate the substantial progress made in national security education in recent years. When the public transitions from being recipients of education to active participants, disseminators, and responsible stakeholders, national security education evolves from one-way communication into a two-way engagement achieved through deep interaction.
April 15 this year marks China's 11th National Security Education Day. Strengthening national security education and enhancing public awareness and literacy regarding national security are fundamental and long-term strategies for national security work. The essence of education lies in inspiration, awakening, and co-creation. National security education is essentially about nurturing people, requiring coordinated efforts across multiple dimensions, including top-level design and grassroots implementation, as well as theoretical dissemination and practical application.
Currently, China is in a critical period of advancing the construction of a modern socialist country in all respects and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through a Chinese path to modernization. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the complexity and difficulty of national security challenges are expected to increase significantly. This situation demands further effective implementation of national security education, achieving a two-way linkage between top-down guidance and bottom-up participation. This ensures that national security education is not only "delivered effectively" but also "received properly," not only "explained thoroughly" but also "implemented solidly," thereby better consolidating a powerful collective force for safeguarding national security.
Top-down precise guidance serves as the "steering wheel" for this two-way engagement in national security education, demonstrating authoritative leadership and systematic planning. The Party and the state prioritize national security education, establishing a comprehensive, multi-level, and broad-based educational system. The establishment of National Security Education Day has created a concentrated promotional momentum, enhancing the profile of national security education. Various regions and departments actively implement deployment requirements, combining their responsibilities and practical work to carry out national security education through multiple measures, making authoritative theories tangible and relatable.
For instance, high-speed trains, subways, airplanes, buses, and ships branded as "National Security Rides" have become mobile exhibition halls for national security education. The country's first nuclear safety theme park opened in Rongcheng, Shandong. Network and data security awareness campaigns were conducted in Shanghai's Jing'an District. "National Security Science Popularization Mobiles" have reached grassroots levels. These diverse and creative forms transform abstract concepts into concrete life scenarios, continuously enhancing the appeal and impact of national security education.
Bottom-up public participation acts as the "power source" for this two-way engagement, reflecting the people's standpoint and practical strength. National security is ultimately for the people and relies on the people. Safeguarding national security is a fundamental interest of all ethnic groups in China and a legal obligation for every citizen. As national security education deepens, more members of the public are transitioning from being "aware" to "involved," from "knowing" to "acting," practically demonstrating the principle that "national security is everyone's responsibility."
Examples include delivery personnel noticing suspicious wording on documents and assisting in intercepting illegal promotional materials; fishermen retrieving espionage devices from the sea and promptly handing them over to national security authorities; and citizens reporting concerns via the 12339 hotline, providing clues for safeguarding national security. National security authorities have recognized and rewarded individuals for their contributions for seven consecutive years, highlighting the powerful force of public participation. This proactive bottom-up involvement allows national security education to take root, extends the national security defense line to every corner, and injects continuous momentum into the two-way engagement.
Currently, the rapid development of new media and technologies significantly boosts social productivity and opens new avenues for national security education. Promoting two-way engagement requires precisely addressing public concerns, focusing on hot-button issues like online fraud, personal information protection, and ecological security, using relatable cases to explain national security knowledge, and helping the public understand that "national security is relevant to daily life." It also necessitates innovating educational methods to make them warm and contemporary.
For example, integrating local characteristic elements like bauhinia ceramics or Zhuang brocade with national security knowledge, using popular formats such as animated IPs, short videos, and live streams for dissemination can achieve subtle educational effects. Alternatively, employing digital technologies favored by younger generations—like embodied intelligent robots, naked-eye 3D cinemas, AI recognition, and interactive games—can make related education trendier and more dynamic. Simultaneously, improving incentive mechanisms, smoothing participation channels, and encouraging public involvement in national security promotion, risk identification, and clue reporting can enhance citizens' sense of responsibility and fulfillment through participation, fostering an environment where "everyone learns about, understands, and protects national security."
As the 11th National Security Education Day approaches, this new starting point presents an opportunity to further strengthen both concentrated and regular publicity and education on national security. Advancing this two-way engagement will undoubtedly embed the concept of "comprehensive security" deeply into the heart of every citizen.