China’s Changing Energy Diplomacy: A Source of Increased Economic Interdependence or a Continuation of Neo-Mercantilism?: Se engelske titel
Translated title
: Se engelske titel
Author
Rasmussen, Frederik Ellesøe
Term
4. term
Publication year
2017
Submitted on
2017-05-14
Pages
94
Abstract
De seneste ca. 25 år har omfattende forskning analyseret de økonomiske konsekvenser af Kinas energidiplomati, dvs. hvordan Kina bruger internationale relationer og politik til at sikre olie, gas og andre energikilder. Nye geopolitiske udviklinger, som oprettelsen af den Asiatiske Infrastrukturinvesteringsbank (AIIB) og Bælte- og Vej-initiativet (BRI), har gjort emnet endnu mere aktuelt. Det øger behovet for at forstå, hvordan disse institutioner kan understøtte Kinas energidiplomati, og hvilke økonomiske følger det har for lande, der eksporterer fossile brændsler til Kina. Specialet undersøger, om Kinas energidiplomati ændrer sig mod at fremme øget økonomisk indbyrdes afhængighed, eller om det fortsat følger en neo-merkantilistisk tilgang (en statstyret strategi for at sikre ressourcer og national fordel). Analysen anvender begreberne strategisk betydning (hvor vigtige regioner er for Kinas nationale interesser) og relativ magt (balancen i indflydelse mellem aktører) til at vurdere udviklingen i Kinas energidiplomati over for de fire vigtigste regioner, der leverer energi til Kina, og til at se, hvordan de nye internationale institutioner kan supplere Kinas energiinteresser. Studiet finder, at Kinas nye internationale institutioner fungerer som effektive supplementer til energidiplomatiet ved at give institutionel legitimitet, som øger mulighederne for energihandel og investeringer. Konklusionen er, at Kinas energidiplomati fortsat er præget af neo-merkantilisme, samtidig med at Kina i stigende grad fremmer økonomisk indbyrdes afhængighed i regioner med stor strategisk betydning for landets interesser, mens isolerede, råstofrige lande med begrænset strategisk betydning fastholdes i en afhængighed af Kina.
Over roughly 25 years, researchers have examined the economic effects of China’s energy diplomacy—the way China uses international relationships and policy to secure oil, gas, and other energy supplies. Recent geopolitical developments, including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), have renewed attention to the topic. This increases the need to understand how these institutions can complement China’s energy diplomacy and what they mean for countries that export fossil fuels to China. This thesis asks whether China’s energy diplomacy is shifting toward greater economic interdependence or remains a form of neo-mercantilism (a state-led strategy to secure resources and national advantage). It applies the concepts of strategic importance (how vital regions are to China’s national interests) and relative power (the balance of influence among actors) to analyze changes in China’s energy diplomacy toward its four most important energy-supplying regions, and to assess how the new international institutions can support China’s energy interests. The study finds that these institutions effectively complement China’s energy diplomacy by providing institutional legitimacy, which expands opportunities for energy trade and investment. The analysis concludes that China’s energy diplomacy remains neo-mercantilist, even as China increasingly fosters economic interdependence in regions of high strategic importance, while isolated, resource-rich countries with limited strategic importance become locked in dependence on China.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
Keywords
Documents