CIAO DATE: 05/2014
March 2014
European Union Institute for Security Studies
In 2012, China was the world’s seventh biggest producer of natural gas, the fourth largest oil producer, and the biggest producer of hydroelectricity. It also produced almost as much coal as the rest of the world combined. Still, this is not enough. China’s domestic energy bounty has long allowed the country to keep its overall import dependency relatively low but, as the country’s economy continues to boom, its import dependency is growing quickly, particularly with regard to oil. While the headlines for this week’s visit to Europe by Chinese President Xi Jinping are dominated by crises – from Syria to Ukraine to Iran – discussions over investment protection and energy cooperation are also on the agenda.
Resource link: China's energy demands: are they reshaping the world? [PDF] - 703K