ABSTRACT
Securitization theory has been hailed as one of the most promising developments in the field of post-Cold War security studies. Securitization theory was designed by the Copenhagen School (CS) of Security Studies. The CS has stated that, generally speaking, many different actors can assume the role of the securitizer. However, its members also hold that different actors are placed in different "positions of power by virtue of being generally accepted voices of security" and that these positions impact on the chances to act as securitizer. Securitization also requires an "issue" representing an "existential threat" to a particular "referent object". If securitization moves occur nonetheless, then China has a few options for rejection available. China has consistently sought to keep its international hydro-politics on the escalation stages of non-politicization or, at the most, politicization. The understanding of (de)politicization, (de)securitization and the like processes similarly relies on the inclusion of a potentially multi-faceted set of contextual factors.
