Human Rights as a National Security Threat: The Case of the PRC

Abstract

In response to criticisms over the People`s Republic of China`s (PRC`s) human rights record from both domestic dissidents and foreign activists, Beijing has formulated a response that characterizes this pressure as a security threat. If these demands for greater human rights protection were met, say Chinese officials and state-sanctioned media organs, it would result in societal chaos, economic retrogression, loss of national territory, and new vulnerability to foreign exploitation. This article explores the origins of Beijing`s position and its implications for the PRC`s foreign relations.