Editor's note: Hamzah Rifaat Hussain, a former visiting fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington and former assistant researcher at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute, is a TV anchor at Indus News in Pakistan. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily those of CGTN.

The national security and social development issues were highlighted at the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. Xi Jinping's report to the Congress underlined how social stability is building a strong and prosperous country with national security serving as the bedrock of rejuvenation. This can usher in greater national resilience, prosperity and a securer future.

China's  integrated approach was listed in a special section of the 14th Five Year Plan from 2021-25 for the first time, which involves enhancing security capacities. The modernization of societies go hand in hand with the modernization of national security systems, which includes securing food, energy and resources, as well as building up key industrial supply chains. The approach is also geared to boost domestic prosperity through collectivism of the Chinese, instead of individualism where societies rise as a structure and a nation.

Given China's legitimate security concerns, the policy mirrors the holistic approach adopted on national security in April 2014, during the first meeting of the National Security Commission of the CPC Central Committee. Vice President of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, Fu Xiaoqiang stressed safeguarding China's steady progress, as well as spoke about how modernizing the national security system is so critical to embark on China's national rejuvenation. The harmonization of security and development demonstrates the strategic vision of Xi given its central theme in the Global Security Initiative (GSI), which invites all countries to tackle global security concerns through joint consultations and equality instead of sparking hostilities and suspicions.

The report at the 20th National Congress also mirrors China's foreign policy of upholding comprehensive, common, sustainable and cooperative security for all states. This marks a stark contrast to security concepts espoused by the Joe Biden administration with the National Security Strategy of 2022 and its offensive orientation targeting other sovereign states including China, by labeling them as a consequential, geopolitical challenge. 

Yet, China's security strategy is defensive in nature to safeguard its state sovereignty and developmental goals. Nonetheless, it doesn't come at the expense of other state's sovereignty but through joint efforts to promote a more peaceful world order. The integration comes when China is getting subjected to unfair trading practices, sanctions and restrictions on technological cooperation. Hence, the need to harmonize both development and security becomes more imperative given China's geopolitical environment for the moment. 

China has never targeted any state through aggressive, state sponsored measures but has called for de-escalation, resolution of all outstanding disputes through dialogue and greater technological cooperation among all countries for greater economic diversification and innovation. As China is systematically targeted by the Biden administration, it becomes incumbent to develop a comprehensive security architecture. Accordingly, China's measures are preemptive in nature. 

China's new security architecture stands set to safeguard the country's development as a crucial factor for the growth of societies amid the pandemic. Such measures provide important lessons for states especially in the developing world, to prioritize greater prosperity for domestic populations and to focus more on securing food, resource and maritime security. By integrating security and development, Xi's leadership has yet again demonstrated foresightedness and prudence.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com. Follow @thouse_opinions on Twitter to discover the latest commentaries in the CGTN Opinion Section.)