"External Dependence" And "Strategic Autonomy": An Analysis Of China 's International Energy Cooperation

This study focus on the issues of international energy cooperation, this article analyze begin from the history of Chinese strategy in international energy cooperation,there are four different stages since the foundation of China, each stage of cooperation has a different emphasis, but in the same motivation —Independence. Combination of external pressure of Chinese energy cooperation and China’s positive attitude in engagement gradually, the article put forward the concept of "Strategic Autonomy".Which means the goal of Chinese future strategy in energy cooperation is the completely independence.In this paper, firstly using the strategic framework to sort out the cooperation process.There are four steps in the Chinese international energy cooperation strategy:“Collective Security” strategy, “Bringing In” strategy, “Going Out” strategy,“Diversification” strategy. Each stage is expanded in the field and the depth than the previous one. Then the article analysis the reason of Chinese cooperation, that is highly dependency:the dependency on the single source of energy, the dependency on concentrated countries, the dependency on the single mode of transport, as well as the dependency on the price mechanism of international energy market. In order to get rid of the dependencies, China shows the active attitude gradually. After experiencing four strategy stages, there were achievements in reduce dependence which also enhanced the energy security relatively. However the characteristics of dependency would not fundamentally changed within such a short time., China also influenced by external environment as well as the strategic extrusion from the great power, China needs to grasp the initiative to build China’s energy discourse system, which need to establish the " Autonomy" strategy on international energy cooperation."Strategic Autonomy" needs China to build China’s energy discourse system:On the one hand, China should carry out the cooperation in the alternative energy which can reduce dependency on the single one; on the other hand, constructing the rules of the system construction, promoting RMB internationalization in the financial sector. It also requires China dominating in the two regional areas, which basis on the “Mutual benefit and the win-win mechanism” to promote “Autonomy”. This means not only the key to crack Chinese energy dilemma, but also the inevitable trend for biggest energy consumer fighting for the dominance in the interdependent world system. “The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road”initiatively laid the foundation for the future Chinese international energy cooperation in the financial mechanism and Chinese dominant consensus. China is the biggest energy consumer and is also the sixty percent in dependency, “Strategic Autonomy”for China means a step to promote energy security, also means an important step for China Rise.