Repositioning Security Spaces of Exclusion, Exception, and Integration in China–Southeast Asia Borderlands

Abstract

Formerly localized, restricted border interaction between China and Southeast Asia has shiled to extensive cross-border engagement along regulated borders with a hierarchy of crossings and expansive borderlands. This expanded security system reveals rescaled and repositioned border security infrastructure and practice into a point and corridor system with vanguard crossings at Hekou, Mohan and Ruili. Fundamental shi s are concurrent focus on primary crossings and spatially extensive borderlands that encompass diminished att ention to lesser crossings, beyond the border implementation of security checkpoints, mobile security, and compromise, to enable eff ective management of expansive borderlands. These borderlands mediate space and enable spatial reapportionment of security to accommodate greatly enhanced cross-border fl ows of people, goods, and information, thus shaping extensive spaces of exclusion and integration and focused places of exception.