Biosecurity as national security: A comparative analysis of biosecurity strategies in the United States, China, and the European Union

Abstract

Biosecurity has increasingly moved beyond the traditional domain of public health to become an important component of national security. This shift raises questions about how major political actors define biological threats and translate them into national and international policy. This study comparatively examines how the United States, China, and the European Union (EU) conceptualize, institutionalize, and implement biosecurity policies related to pandemics, biotechnology risks, and bioterrorism. Drawing on securitization theory and the global health security literature, the study uses a comparative qualitative analysis of relevant policies, strategies, and institutional arrangements. It finds that all three actors increasingly frame biological threats as major security concerns, but they differ in their threat perceptions, institutional structures, and approaches to balancing security with scientific and economic openness. The United States increasingly links biosecurity to strategic competition and supply-chain security; China integrates it within a broader national-security framework; while the EU emphasizes collective resilience, institutional coordination, and strategic autonomy. These differences demonstrate that the securitization of biosecurity is not producing a single global model but rather distinct governance approaches shaped by different political and strategic contexts. The analysis further shows that these approaches have important implications for global health governance, scientific cooperation, international coordination, and the implementation of the 2025 WHO Pandemic Agreement. The study concludes that securitization can strengthen national preparedness and institutional capacity, but excessive emphasis on national control and strategic competition may weaken the international cooperation required to manage biological risks that transcend national borders.