A small state in big power politics: the securitisation or riskification of Sino-Irish relations

Ireland, as a small state, has limited capacity to exercise agency in redefining its relationship with China amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. Since the launch of the 1999 Asia Strategy, Sino-Irish relations have evolved from an economic partnership to a more complex engagement, marked by both opportunity and risk. While China is now perceived as a potential security issue, Ireland has chosen to treat this threat as a manageable risk, through its existing policy structures, rather than an immediate danger. The Irish response demonstrates how small states can exercise strategic autonomy in identifying and responding to external threats, without defaulting to the dominant narratives of larger powers. By selectively implementing measures—such as FDI screening and cybersecurity legislation—Ireland has navigated tensions without fully securitising the bilateral relationship. This case expands the understanding of small-state agency in security policy, illustrating how such states can shape their own threat perceptions and calibrate their responses within existing political frameworks through a process of riskification rather than securitisation.