Research shows China's overseas security risks may rise

China's 2019 Overseas Security Risks Blue Book Conference was held in Beijing on Tuesday by the China Overseas Security Research Institute and the Institute for National Security Studies at Renmin University of China. According to the conference, 2019 will see increased global security risks.

The newly released China's Overseas Security Risks Blue Book evaluates the global security risk ratings of 170 countries and regions. The United States' security risk level has gone up due to complications in US-China relations and a worsening internal political situation after the US' midterm election had impacts on Chinese companies' investment in the US.

The blue book forecasts five major global security threats in 2019 — great power games, global political instability, rising political identity, corruption and wealth gaps. China's 10 overseas security issues indicate Chinese companies should enhance early warning and response.

"Despite obvious risks regarded as normal issues, such regional conflicts and recessive risks have been increasing," said Li Wei, a researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, at a forum on global security risks. He mentioned Japan, France and Germany are becoming involved in the Five Eyes intelligence network of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, which will likely strengthen monitoring of overseas Chinese companies. Precaution against such risks should increase.

Li Yonghui, head of the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, warned of the risks of this alliance when US-China relations began experiencing challenges.

The vice dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University, Zhang Haibin, said correlation between traditional security risks and non-traditional risks is getting stronger, which brings up questions of major country responsibility.