Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- List of Contributors
- 1 Building Peace in the Era of Three Waves
- 2 The Problem of Peace: Understanding the ‘Liberal Peace’
- 3 Pre-emptive Self-defence New Legal Principle or Political Action?
- 4 Beyond Criminal Justice: Promoting the Rule of Law in Post-Conflict Societies
- 5 Peace by Pact: Data on the Implementation of Peace Agreements
- 6 Refugee Repatriation as a Necessary Condition for Peace
- 7 Catapulting Conflicts or Propelling Peace: Diasporas and Civil Wars
- 8 UN Peace Operations as Norm Entrepreneurs: The Challenge of Achieving Communicative Action on Human Rights
- 9 To Practice What They Preach: International Transitional Administrations and the Paradox of Norm Promotion
- 10 Re-examining the Roots of War in West Africa in a Globalizing World
- 11 The African Union (AU) and Its Commitment to Non-Indifference: Can the AU be an Actor for the Promotion of Human Security?
- 12 Hamas Between Sharia Rule and Demo-Islam
- 13 Environmental Scarcity and Intrastate Conflicts: The Case of Nepal
- 14 Narcotics: The New Security Threat for China
- References
- Bibliography
14 - Narcotics: The New Security Threat for China
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- List of Contributors
- 1 Building Peace in the Era of Three Waves
- 2 The Problem of Peace: Understanding the ‘Liberal Peace’
- 3 Pre-emptive Self-defence New Legal Principle or Political Action?
- 4 Beyond Criminal Justice: Promoting the Rule of Law in Post-Conflict Societies
- 5 Peace by Pact: Data on the Implementation of Peace Agreements
- 6 Refugee Repatriation as a Necessary Condition for Peace
- 7 Catapulting Conflicts or Propelling Peace: Diasporas and Civil Wars
- 8 UN Peace Operations as Norm Entrepreneurs: The Challenge of Achieving Communicative Action on Human Rights
- 9 To Practice What They Preach: International Transitional Administrations and the Paradox of Norm Promotion
- 10 Re-examining the Roots of War in West Africa in a Globalizing World
- 11 The African Union (AU) and Its Commitment to Non-Indifference: Can the AU be an Actor for the Promotion of Human Security?
- 12 Hamas Between Sharia Rule and Demo-Islam
- 13 Environmental Scarcity and Intrastate Conflicts: The Case of Nepal
- 14 Narcotics: The New Security Threat for China
- References
- Bibliography
Summary
China is today facing a war against drugs, a war that has been threatening the very fabric of the state. The drug threat emanates from multiple sources ranging from states in its periphery, regional criminal networks to domestic actors, such as local triads, which account for the bulk of the production and sale of narcotics in China. As China gradually opens up, the drug problem is becoming increasingly serious and threatens China's progress, especially in the field of health, economy and public security. This development is driven by the rapid economic development and the creation of a strong consumer base in China for narcotics. As seen in Central Asia, Afghanistan and some Southeast Asian states, economies seriously affected by the narcotics trade usually have a worsened health situation with the increase in HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C and other drug related diseases (Swanström and Cornell, 2006, pp. 10–28). There have also been cases of ‘narcotisation’ of states leading to political instability (Cornell, 2006, pp. 37–8; Swanström, 2007). They are usually associated with decreased competitiveness of the national economies as drug related industries offer steady incomes in states with high unemployment and where few opportunities exists for a secure income, at the legitimate market. One of the most problematic effects in such states has been weakening of the state apparatus by the criminal networks that deal with drugs. Such networks thrive in weak states where they exercise control over the political elite or simply become a part of the elite.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Globalization and Challenges to Building Peace , pp. 221 - 236Publisher: Anthem PressPrint publication year: 2007