China’s 2025 Security Doctrine: Holism in Rhetoric, Militarism in Practice?
“This redefinition of security coincides with the concept of ‘hyper-securitization,’ a term used by scholars to describe the process by which nearly every aspect of governance is rendered a matter of survival. By putting security into all policy domains, the [2025 White Paper on National Security] transforms what might once have been developmental or regulatory issues into strategic threats. Health systems, food supply, education, AI, and even cultural narratives are now folded into this expansive logic of state security. While the document echoes global trends such as the UNDP’s human security model and the Copenhagen School’s focus on non-traditional threats, China’s use of these frameworks is selective and statist. The language may be ‘people-centric,’ but the thrust remains regime-centric.”
“These developments indicate a fundamental tension between China’s proclaimed holistic security paradigm and its rapidly expanding military footprint. While the White Paper frames security as “people-centred” and “development-oriented,” the concrete trajectory of China’s defence sector tells a different story. The sustained rise in defence spending (7.2% in 2024) despite economic slowdown, the prioritization of power projection capabilities, and the construction of dual-use platforms such as cruise ships capable of transporting troops all signal an overt militarization beneath the rhetoric of inclusivity. The disparity suggests that holistic security may function less as a departure from militarism than as a strategic veneer to justify and normalize it.”
Source: The Geopolitics