China’s National Security White Paper, with Katja Drinhausen und Helena Legarda

With an uncertain geopolitical environment and ongoing competition with the US and Europe, national security has become even more important than before in China. So much so that a National Security White Paper, the first of its kind, was published in May of 2025.

How has China’s approach to security changed under the changing international environment? What new risks does the paper identify domestically and internationally? And what implications does it have for Europe? In this episode Katja Drinhausen, Head of Program Politics and Society at MERICS, and Helena Legarda, Lead Analyst at MERICS, join Johannes Heller-John to answer these questions.

Read more about the topics covered in this episode here:

• MERICS China Security and Risk Tracker 01/2025

Chapters

• 0:54 Introduction to National Security
• 5:08 Domestic risks identified in the National Security White Paper
• 8:05 International risks identified in the National Security White Paper
• 12:19 General changes promoted in the White Paper
• 18:13 Implications for international stakeholders
• 23:48 Changing risk environment since end of 2024
• 29:13 Expectations for upcoming BRICS Summit