Page 176 - 国际安全研究2019年第5期
P. 176

Vo1. 37, No. 5,  September/October 2019

          29   A Study of the National Security Thoughts of the Liao Empire

               WEI Zhijiang and TAO Sha
               [Abstract] In the late 9th and early 10th century, the Khitan people founded the Liao
               Empire, a gigantic empire that spanned Northeast Asia and inland Asia in Chinese
               history. As a  multi-ethnic highly-centralized state established by the nomads, the
               Liao Empire created its national politics with an institutionalized framework
               featuring “rule by customs” and “dual systems in  one state” as well as national
               security thoughts that laid equal stress on farming and nomadism. In order to build a
               world order  centered on the Liao Empire,  the Empire resorted to both  peaceful
               means and tactics of war. On the one hand, under the guidance of the Confucian
               ideology— “rule  of  virtue”,  the  Empire  established Jimi system (an autonomous
               administrative and political organization system), tributary system and
               suzerain-vassals system in order to guarantee its safe development. As a result, the
               Liao Empire not only secured its diplomatic advantage over the Song Dynasty but
               also successively made Koryo and Western Xia (Xixia) in East Asia as well as the
               inland Asian Qocho (Gaochang Huihu), Kara-khanids and Khwarazm kingdoms pay
               tribute to it, which enabled the Liao Empire to be able to survive numerous wars and
               thrive for two hundred years. On the other hand, in order to safeguard the security of
               its northwest frontier and protect the Silk Road from inland Asia to East Asia, the
               Liao Empire carried out  military expeditions  on Outer Mongolia, pursued both
               suppression and pacification policies and built a set of border cities for the sake of
               border defense. In addition, the Liao Empire adopted such measures as opening up
               wasteland for cultivation of farm crops and encouraging migration to the northwest
               frontier to implement its strategy towards Outer Mongolia so as to construct a
               frontier defense system and pave a smooth way for the Grassland Silk Road from
               Outer Mongolia to the Western Regions (Xiyu) and even to Europe.
               [Keywords]  Liao Empire, rule by customs, national security, suzerain-vassal
               relationship, frontier security
               [Authors]  WEI Zhijiang, Vice  Dean, Professor and Ph.D. Supervisor, School of
               International  Relations, Sun Yat-sen  University (Zhuhai, 519000);  TAO  Sha,
               Postdoctoral Researcher, School of International Relations, Sun Yat-sen University
               (Zhuhai, 519000).

          55   A Discussion on National Security Strategic Capability under the
               Background of Integrationn

               SU Yu and WEI Song
               [Abstract] Capability is the foundation for achieving strategic objectives of national
               security and the top priority in the practices of national security strategies. However,
               it hasn’t been discussed fully in national security theories. As a new concept,
               national security strategic capability is related to but different from such traditional
               concepts as national security capability and national strategic capability in national
               security theories. It mainly refers to the ability to promote and implement national
               security strategies. With the continuous expansion of the concept of national security,
               national security strategic capability also calls for an in-depth  analysis under an
               integrated national strategic framework.  When applied to the field of national

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