The politics of insecurity. Securitization of China in Australia's National Security

<ns3:p>In 2017, relations between Australia and China faced a severe crisis that plunged the bilateral relations for years to come. It strengthened the Australian perception of China as a source of insecurity. Australia was no longer able to separate economic interests from security and strategic concerns in relations with China. The simultaneous “push and pull” processes of securitization and desecuritization will be taken into consideration as Australia paradoxically is simultaneously securitizing and desecuritizing China at the same time. The article focuses on the broader determinants of securitization and desecuritizaton nexus reflecting the assumption that Australia, since 2017, will be in the situation of recurring securitizing moves toward China associated with the attempts to return to “normal” policy (“politicization”).</ns3:p>