The American Factor In China's Energy Security

Falling in the field of world energy economy, the issue of oil security is dealt with as a research theme of both theoretical and realistic significance, covered by such disciplines as economics, politics and ecology. Because of its complexity, one can only obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the different domains of energy security by adopting a synthetic approach to various theories. Based on the above consideration, the thesis elaborates on Sino-U.S. competition in upstream of energy, with the main equipment of geopolitics under the Realist school of IR theories.Due to lack of mutual strategic trust between China and the United States, the Chinese drive for petroleum resources is likely to trigger a gradually escalating clash of interests between the two countries in world oil exploration and production. Under this circumstance, China is most concerned that the United States will deny China’s access to energy resources. The Chinese energy security planners have focused much of their attention on America’s overseas military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, its strategic alliances with the key oil-producing countries and other major petroleum importers in the Asia-Pacific region. In order to protect supply, China has tried to diversify the sources of its oil imports through the acquisitions of overseas petroleum resources equity stakes in recent years. As China’s demand for energy resources continues to rise, the Chinese leadership is probably more willing to pursue foreign policies to gain and maintain access to oil reserves. In taking actions to protect its global energy interests, Beijing has been more willing to create friction with the United States in the case of Iran, Sudan and Venezuela.While the United States complains that China relies much more on exclusive supply deals and less on international markets to meet its energy needs. Some argue that China even tried to "lock up" energy supplies around the world to achieve energy security. Others analysts cite reports that China has begun expanding arms trade in those oil-rich but politically sensitive countries. However, China’s equity oil investments remove assets from the global market merely displace what the Chinese would have otherwise bought on the open market. The overseas operations of China’s oil companies in those so-called "rogue" states actually expanding rather than contracting the amount of oil available to the world’s market. And it’s not fair to blame the endless internal conflicts in some oil-exporting countries on China’s arms sale and non-interference policy.As for the matter of the energy security channel, there are prospects of both cooperation and conflict for China and the United States in the future. During the peace time, the problem of non-traditional security, which becomes the threat to China’s energy security channel, also challenges the principle of freedom of navigation at the high seas advocated by the U.S. From the perspective of interdependence, the United States and China share the interests to promote and protect the free and reliable energy trade over along oil sea lanes of communications (SLOCs) against terrorists and pirates.However, in non-peace time, the United States could contain China with the manipulation of oil channel over sea. China is, therefore, concerned that the United States might utilize its far-flung naval bases to blockade China’s oil imports from the Persian Gulf and Africa when the potential conflict breaks out over the Taiwan Strait. Thus, it’s necessary for China to build up its blue water capabilities to secure energy supply routes along vital SLOCs and explore oil channel on land.It is concluded that if the upstream of Sino-US energy relations is characterized more with competition and the midstream more with coexistence of both competition and cooperation, there is much potential for cooperation between the two sides in the downstream, for both of them can benefit from collaboration in improving efficiency of energy consumption in China.For the United Sates, China’s campaign to protect the nation from environmental degradation and energy disruptions will provide Americans firms with opportunities to sell their cutting-edge technology and equipment. The accelerated development of alternative forms of energy also provides US firms with opportunities to enter into China’s potentially massive energy market. Moreover, China’s success in reducing pollution, particularly air pollution will lower the possibility that the Pacific Northwest of the United States will be negatively affected by China’s pollution.Opportunities for China include transfers of advanced technology and pollution control mechanism, thereby China will have a good chance in a position to promote technical innovations, achieve further energy efficiencies and environmental improvements, and enable further evolution to a sustainable economy. And people living in China could live a healthier and wealthier life in the future. As a result, the Sino-US high-level dialogues, aiming at reducing energy intensity and implementing energy efficiency, will benefit both countries and the world as a whole at the same time.