7. The Securitization of the Coronavirus in Asian Countries: A Paradox of National Security and Human Security During the COVID-19 Crisis

Shortly after the announcement of China's COVID-19 "case zero," several countries in Asia used their state's security mechanisms to combat the novel virus in order to protect their citizens as well as safeguard overall national security. Asian countries have claimed that the securitization of their respective COVID-19 crises was a success by pointing out that they have encountered only a tiny fraction of the number of reported COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths compared to many countries in the West. At the same time, by promulgating very stringent emergency measures, these actions have adversely affected their citizens' human security especially in the areas of politics and economics. The following chapter examines the impact of the securitization of the new Coronavirus in the wake of the national emergency measures, which also created a negative impact on the overall human security of citizens living in Asia. The chapter draws lessons from the Chinese government’s management of the epidemic to other countries in the region and contextualizes these issues within the greater Asian theater.