Chinese investments in the EU's energy sector. An empirical study of the Czech Republic and Poland: None
Translated title
Chinese investments in the EU's energy sector. An empirical study of the Czech Republic and Poland
Author
Dobroghii, Christian-Vlad
Term
4. term
Publication year
2020
Submitted on
2020-05-15
Pages
48
Abstract
Efter finanskrisen i 2008 flyttede EU’s energipolitik fokus fra primært miljøhensyn til også at sikre, at energi er billig og tilgængelig. Det skabte investeringshuller i flere medlemslande og gav kinesiske virksomheder mulighed for at gå ind i EU’s energisektor. Fordi energi omfatter kritisk infrastruktur og berører national sikkerhed, bliver kinesiske energiinvesteringer ofte mødt med større skepsis end investeringer i andre sektorer, med både politiske og økonomiske konsekvenser. Afhandlingen sammenligner Tjekkiet og Polen. De to lande er nogenlunde ens positioneret i det globale system og samarbejder med Kina på lignende måder, men de opfatter kinesiske energiinvesteringer forskelligt. I Tjekkiet er den offentlige og politiske debat drevet af politiske hensyn, hvilket fører til mere negative vurderinger. I Polen er debatten i højere grad økonomisk, og den politiske opbakning til kinesiske energiprojekter har været mere stabil. I Tjekkiet svinger opbakningen derimod, når regering eller præsident skifter.
After the 2008 financial crisis, the European Union shifted its energy policy from mainly environmental goals to making sure energy is affordable and available. This created funding gaps in some member states and opened space for Chinese companies to invest in the EU’s energy sector. Because energy involves critical infrastructure and national security, Chinese investments in this sector are viewed more skeptically than those in other sectors, with political and economic implications. The thesis compares the Czech Republic and Poland. The two countries occupy similar positions in the global system and cooperate with China in similar ways, but they interpret Chinese energy investments differently. In the Czech Republic, the public and policy debate is driven by political concerns, leading to more negative perceptions. In Poland, the debate is framed mainly in economic terms, and political support for Chinese energy projects has been more consistent. By contrast, support in the Czech Republic shifts when the government or presidency changes.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
Keywords
energy security; generation capacities, power infrastructure, FDIs, SWFs, securitization theory, realism, economic cooperation, trade deficit, emerge discourse, the Czech Republic, Poland, China, the EU. ; energy security ; securitization theory ; structural realism ; generation capacities ; power infrastructure
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