中国为什么能保持社会的安全稳定

For many foreigners who have visited or worked in China, one of their strong impressions is that the country is very safe. Here, you can go out alone late at night to eat at a food stand without feeling nervous. You can also let your younger children ride public transport all by themselves without worrying about their safety.

很多到过中国的外国朋友都有一个真切的感受：中国是一个非常安全的国家。在中国，晚上你可以一个人出去吃宵夜，走在街上几乎不必有多余的担心；你也可以放心让十几岁的孩子独自乘坐公共交通工具。

This year, 2018, marks the 40th anniversary of the launching of the reform and opening up policy in China. Over the past four decades, the country has achieved fast economic growth, while social peace and stability have been maintained to the fullest extent at the lowest cost. Of course, there are still unsolved problems. However, from the overall perspective, Chinese society remains harmonious and safe. In my eyes, this should be attributed largely to the cultural, economic and political environment of the country.

2018年是中国改革开放40周年。40年来，中国不仅经济高速发展，还以最低的成本获得了最大程度的社会安全稳定。虽然也可能出现这样或那样的问题，但从整体看，中国的社会环境是和谐稳定的。在我看来，这主要得益于文化、经济和政治等几个方面的原因。

China has a time-honored civilization, spanning some 5,000 years and continuing uninterrupted to this day. As a result, Chinese people share a strong sense of belonging to their motherland in which they have great pride. In the Chinese language, country, or “guo jia,” contains two characters. While the first word “guo” (国) literally means country, the second word “jia” (家) means home or family. In the eyes of the Chinese people, the country is like one big family. It’s because of this strong sense of belonging that Chinese society remains so cohesive.

5000年延绵不断的中华文明赋予中国社会对国家强烈的认同感。在汉语中，“国家”是由“国”和“家”共同构成的，“国”是一个“大家庭”。有了这种认同感，社会才有向心力和凝聚力。

As an ancient Chinese saying goes, “when granaries are full, people will know propriety and moderation.” A society can be stable and orderly only when its people can lead a prosperous life. After the introduction of the reform and opening up policy in 1978, China achieved fast economic growth and significant scientific and technological progress. It has become the world’s second largest economy, with its per-capita GDP has doubled and redoubled many times over the four decades. In the meantime, the Chinese government has taken various measures such as those to fight corruption, reduce poverty and promote the rule of law, in order to uphold social equity. Thanks to these efforts, the potential factors that might destabilize society have been greatly reduced.

中国有句古话，“仓廪实而知礼节”，有富足才有平安。中国自1978年实行改革开放以来，经济发展、科技进步，一跃成为世界第二大经济体，人均GDP翻了几十倍。同时，中国还通过反腐败、扶贫、法治建设等手段努力追求社会公平，很大程度上会减少不稳定因素的发生。

Apart from government departments including the police and judicial departments, the general public also contributes much to social governance. “Xicheng Dama” is an outstanding example. Wearing red vests and caps, middle-aged and elderly female volunteers in Beijing’s Xicheng District act in various capacities - patrols, cleaners and parking lot attendants - to ensure a clean, safe and harmonious environment. Another example is the concept of the “Chaoyang Resident,” which helps police investigate swindling activities, celebrities’ involvement in drugs and other cases.

在中国社会治理过程中，不仅有政府、司法和公安部门的努力，还有普通百姓的积极参与，“西城大妈”就是一个现成的例子。她们是北京市西城区的一批中老年女性志愿者，身穿红色马甲，头戴小红帽，承担着义务停车员、巡防员、保洁员的工作，维护着社会的平安、和谐和整洁。与之类似的还有“朝阳群众”，大到明星吸毒案，小到街头诈骗，时常有他们参与破获。

The development of information technology has created new ways of linking the police and the public. For example, the Public Security Bureau of Beijing’s Chaoyang District launched “Chaoyang Resident HD,” a mobile app designed to collect tip-offs from the public. By jointly combating crimes in such ways, the public and the police have developed an ever-increasing level of mutual trust and positive interaction.

随着互联网时代的发展，警民合作的方式不断创新，公安部门还开发了“朝阳群众APP”，民众可以发表线索。在这一过程中，中国民众与政府、公安部门相互间的信任感和良性互动也不断加深。

The safety and stability in China did not come easily. Rather, it should be attributed to the efforts made by 1.3 billion people to pursue fairness and justice under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government. For both Chinese and foreigners living in the country, the sense of safety and security is very precious.

总之，中国的平安稳定不是免费的礼物，是中国共产党和政府带领十三亿人民通过努力奋斗，追求公平正义换来的。对于生活在这里的不论是中国人还是外国人，这一份安全感和踏实感都弥足珍贵。