Interview with Martin Jacques Former Senior Fellow, Department of Politics and International Studies, Cambridge University, Visiting Professor, Tsinghua University

Now that you are a witness of the development of this forum， I was wondering which part of its evolution and change impresses you the most？

Martin Jacques： I think this forum has gained real momentum. I attended last year， and while I'm not an expert on public security， I was very interested in it. This year， it seems there's been a significant step change. The forum is much larger， with more countries represented， and it's clearly meeting a much wider global demand for exchanges and cooperation in global security. I believe this forum will continue to grow and become more important in the future.

The theme of this forum is international collaboration on public security in a world of significant changes. In your opinion， what are these significant changes？

Martin Jacques： Security has undergone a huge transformation in a very short period of time， probably less than five years. Two key things have happened. First， the world has become much more unstable， insecure， and unpredictable， which increases the importance of security. Second， the relationship between the United States and China has worsened， with the U.S. using security issues economically against China. This has raised the profile of security， making it a top priority.

In your opinion， what is the key to solving the challenges of instability and insecurity？

Martin Jacques： The main problem is the lack of cooperation and mutual trust， both of which have deteriorated significantly. Security isn't a one-sided issue; it must be mutual. There are many important areas that need to be discussed and engaged with to try and reverse the deterioration that's taken place. We're living in a time where the security situation has worsened， but there’s now a much greater emphasis on addressing it.

Do you think the forum will help enhance mutual trust and cooperation？

Martin Jacques： Yes， I think so. You can see that many practitioners and experts in public security from all over the world are here， and there’s a real desire to discuss these issues. Unfortunately， the West is barely represented， but the rest of the world， which represents the majority of people， is very well represented.

What are your expectations for the future development of this forum？

Martin Jacques：I hope it becomes even more representative and that it draws in more Western countries. The Western countries seem either opposed to or hesitant about participating， but I think the organizers have the right attitude. This forum is about addressing real issues， not geopolitical concerns. Persuading Western countries to participate would make the forum more comprehensive， as it's a global public security forum and should represent all parts of the globe.

How do you see the trend of global public security？ Is it moving in a positive direction？

Martin Jacques： I think we're entering a very difficult period for public security. The situation is likely to get worse， with ongoing wars like those in Gaza and Ukraine contributing to the instability. I don’t expect to see a significant improvement in the near future， and the situation may continue to deteriorate for quite some time.

What do you think about the Chinese approach or solution to these security challenges？

Martin Jacques： I think the Chinese approach is a good one. We face a situation where security， from a geopolitical point of view， is a divisive issue. The U.S. is using security in its economic policy to break economic ties with China. Forums like this one， which emphasize that security is a global issue for all nations， are crucial. They focus on practical issues that require cooperation. Even if the overall global situation is unfavorable， progress can still be made. I believe the leadership， has a very clear and effective strategy.