The Securitization of Trade: Economic Interdependence and Non-Traditional Security in China-Malaysia Relations

Yibin Zhao ()
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Yibin Zhao: Tianjin Foreign Studies University, School of Asian and African

A chapter in Proceedings of the 2026 11th International Conference on Social Sciences and Economic Development (ICSSED 2026), 2026, pp 78-89 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Taking the competition of major countries as the background and the Chinese durian trade dispute as an example, this article explores how “interdependence on weaponisation” and “security” can build a dynamic interaction mechanism in non-traditional security fields. The research has built a circular model of “security-weaponisation”. State actors use discourse technology to define economic problems (such as durian quarantine) as “national ecological threats” and legalize security. State actors use their asymmetric advantages in the market structure to formulate specific policy tools (such as standard control and market access restrictions) and implement “weaponisation” actions. Research shows that although there are inherent conflicts between the two theories, they constitute a complementary logic - weaponisation relies on objective material structures, while security focusses on subjective discourse production. The reality of the interrelationship between material power and discourse authority in contemporary geopolitics is fully reflected in this tension and the example of durian shows how the state uses its structural authority through securitisation of economic dependence, transforming it into a tool for deterrent policies. Regarding methodology, this work utilizes a theory-driven case analysis approach, seeking for an effort to close the gap between weaponization theory and non-traditional security theory at the micro level. It provides a fresh analytical means for understanding great power strategic behavior in the context of economic interdependence by introducing “structural deterrence” as the primary mechanism driving their interaction.

Keywords: Securityisation Theory; Weaponised Interdependence; Durian; ‘Securitisation-Weaponisation Spiral’ Model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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DOI: 10.2991/978-94-6239-701-9_8

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