Securitization of the State and Society: A Critical Analysis of the Concept of Comprehensive National Security in the Chinese Strategy (2014–2049) and Its Implications for the International System

Abstract

This paper critically deconstructs China's Holistic National Security concept (2014) as a comprehensive securitization process that redefines the sources of power and threat in Chinese grand strategy. Drawing on a composite theoretical framework integrating the Copenhagen School's securitization theory, China's indigenous Comprehensive National Power (CNP) doctrine, and the security dilemma concept, the paper moves beyond description to analyze the strategic trade-offs confronting Beijing—particularly the tension between cyber sovereignty and open innovation. The study concludes with three prospective scenarios for the international system through 2049, employing a cross-impact matrix methodology. The paper's knowledge contribution lies in applying a securitization lens to China as a case of non-Western securitization that transcends the Copenhagen School's traditional application to liberal democracies.