Visitors dream of taking China's serenity, safety home

The roots of reassurance

When Serbian influencer Saitie, who has lived in China for over four years, was asked by friends how China maintains such a high-trust society, he offered two reasons: the prevalence of technology, and — more importantly — the dramatic improvement in average living standards over the past two decades.

"There's no point for a person to go out and steal stuff and therefore face the consequences for that," he said.

His down-to-earth observation aligns with broader analysis.

Professor Wang Jianxin, dean of the school of public security at People's Public Security University of China, said: "China's ability to maintain long-term social stability alongside rapid economic growth reflects a distinct path of social security governance."

He identified the key factors as "the leadership of the Communist Party of China, sound laws and good governance, technological empowerment, and public mobilization".

Commentator Nie Zhiwang said:"The Chinese sense of security is by no means merely about low crime rates: it is a people-centered, inclusive, comprehensive, and safety-net type of security."

For individuals, it means walking alone late at night without fear, not worrying about children at school, and confidently leaving belongings temporarily unattended. For society, it means stable public order, harmonious neighborhoods, and resolvable conflicts. For the nation, it reflects the governance effectiveness of maintaining long-term order and stability across a country with a massive population and vast territory.

This security rests on three pillars: coordinated development that keeps violent crime low, refined grassroots networks that nip risks in the bud, and continued economic improvements.

In Guangzhou, Ben walked the night streets with his expensive watch and felt totally safe. In Dalian, Italian artist Gentile heard the streets ring with the laughing of families and children at play. These scenes capture a deeper meaning of security in China: it is not merely the absence of danger, but the presence of a confident, everyday existence.

That everyday life — the "Chinese experience" — is what many foreign visitors most want to take home with them, yet cannot pack in their luggage.

Yang Gao in Toronto, Lia Zhu in San Francisco, Chen Meiling and Wang Songsong in Beijing, Hu Yumeng and Ma Jingna in Lanzhou, and Liu Mengtong in Dalian contributed to this story.