China’s Holistic Approaches to Security: A Text-Mining Analysis of Shifting Priorities in COVID-19 Responses

This article examines China’s national security through the human security frame-work, using the government’s response to COVID-19 in both the initial phase and Omicron phase as case studies. It aims to bridge the conceptual divide between China’s and Western views on human security. The analysis reveals a shift in China’s policies, from an economic-focused to a health-centered approach, involving a prioritization of public security over individual security and a community-focused people-centered strategy. These findings highlight China’s emphasis on collective wellbeing, providing insights into the distinctive features of its governance during the pandemic and how national security is intertwined with human security in this context.