Convergence and divergence of biosecurity and biodiversity in China

Abstract

The year 2020 witnessed a sharp increase in public attention to biological security (biosecurity) and biological diversity (biodiversity) governance. While COVID has triggered significant attention, this research chronicles and examines the development of biosecurity and biodiversity governance in China. The Copenhagen School’s approach to securitization is employed as a theoretical framework to map the evolution of biosecurity and biodiversity. Through this lens, we find that biological governance has developed from ecological security to biological security, while biodiversity governance has been framed as involving various security concerns, including biological security. These fields have converged and diverged over time in China. This analysis reveals the potential for synergetic governance over biosecurity and biodiversity concerns while identifying policy gaps in China as well as in the fragmented institutional structure of global governance. This research also contributes to academic discussions surrounding associations between biosecurity and biodiversity governance.