China's Energy Diplomacy: Does Chinese Foreign Policy Favor Oil-Producing Countries?

Due to its rapid economic growth and increasing demand for energy, China has engaged in numerous efforts to sustain its energy supplies and enhance its energy security. While existing literature argues that access to energy is oftentimes the driving force behind Beijing's foreign policy behavio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Foreign policy analysis 2019-10, Vol.15 (4), p.570-588
Main Author: Lee, Chia-yi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Diplomacy
Economic development
Economic growth
Energy
Energy policy
Energy security
Energy utilization
Foreign aid
Foreign policy
Influence
International comparisons
Leadership
Management
Oil
Partnerships
Petroleum
Policy making
Technical assistance, Chinese
Travel
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Summary:Due to its rapid economic growth and increasing demand for energy, China has engaged in numerous efforts to sustain its energy supplies and enhance its energy security. While existing literature argues that access to energy is oftentimes the driving force behind Beijing's foreign policy behavior, little work has been done to systemically examine the bilateral relationship between China and energy-producing countries. This paper explores how China's foreign policy making is influenced by its energy security concern, focusing on three foreign policy instruments—partnerships, foreign aid, and leadership visits. Using a large-N, quantitative approach, this paper analyzes the effect of oil production on these three foreign policy indicators. The results show that Beijing is more likely to form partnerships with oil-producing countries. Top Chinese leaders are also more likely to travel to countries that produce a higher level of oil. China's aid allocation to Africa is driven by oil abundance as well, although the findings on aid are only valid in the cross-national analysis.
ISSN:1743-8586
1743-8594
DOI:10.1093/fpa/orz011