RSIS Seminar by Dr Alessandro Arduino, Visiting Senior Fellow, China Programme, IDSS, RSIS; and Co-Director, Security & Crisis Management Program, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS – China) and Center for Advanced Studies on Contemporary China (CASCC – Italy)
Chinese Private Security Corporations. A New Blackwater?
Lecture Abstract:
The expansion of Chinese outbound investments, aimed to sustain the increased need for natural resources, has amplified the magnitude of a possible international crisis that the People’s Republic of China may face in the near future. Consequently, the threats to China’s enterprises and Chinese workers based on foreign soil are poised to increase. Fragile states that acquire Chinese technology and infrastructure, granting exploitation rights of natural resources to Chinese State Owned Enterprises, do not have the capacity to assure adequate security. Therefore, Chinese infrastructure and personnel could be an easy target by politically motivated rebel groups, or even criminal gangs who perceive Chinese citizens as wealthy targets. Although the rising and falling cycle of the security services privatisation is nothing new, the role of the Chinese Private Security Corporations (PSCs) is still surrounded by uncertainty. The impact of “Private Security Companies with Chinese Characteristics” is going to profoundly affect the security landscape.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Alessandro Arduino is the co–director of the Security & Crisis Management program at the Shanghai Academy of Social Science (SASS – China) and Center for Advanced Studies on Contemporary China (CASCC – Italy). His main research interests include China’s political and defense economy, Sino-Central Asia relations and Sovereign Wealth Funds. He is the author of several books and he has published papers and commentaries in various journals in Italian, English, Chinese and Russian languages: ECRAN Europe China Research and Advisory network, EAST Europe Asia Strategies, China Weekly, the Foundation of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Institute of World Economy and Politics IWEP, Mondo Cinese, Orizzonte Cina T.wai, International Affairs Institute IAI, Italian Financial Police GdF. He has been appointed Knight of the Order of the Italian Star by the President of the Italian Republic.
