China's thirst for energy won't drink world dry
- Source: Global Times
- [03:52 November 25 2009]
- Comments
When "clean energy cooperation" became one of the key expressions in the Sino- US Joint Statement issued last week, its global implication went beyond a breakthrough on climate change between the world's top two greenhouse gas emitters.
Another clear message in the statement is that the two major consumers of energy are looking at alternatives to ease their heavy dependence on coal, oil, natural gas and other traditional sources of fuel.
That message came at the right time.
Anxiety over China's thirst for energy to feed its economic growth has reached such a fever pitch recently as to become the cause of another "China threat." Western nations are increasingly worried that the big energy deals reached between cash-rich China and the resource-rich regions since the global financial crisis would jeopardize their strategic security.
China's natural gas cooperation with Turkmenistan is one of the latest examples. With the 7,000-kilometer pipeline to be unveiled soon, fears have mounted that China's presence in the gas-rich Central Asian country "spells danger" to Europe.
There is nothing surprising in the suspicion and anxiety, though.
When it comes to energy, it is "jungle law" that often prevails. The size of a country's strategic product reserve such as oil has even been taken as a key criterion of its strength on the international stage. As shown in numerous cases in history, the intense competition for energy resources may lead to conflicts or even wars between nations.
But with China's strategy of peaceful rise and its long-held diplomatic policy to pursue mutually beneficial cooperation, those who have expressed worries should be reassured. That policy has also been adopted in energy cooperation with some politically sensitive countries such as Sudan and Myanmar, and the quality of life of the people in these countries has gained the most.
Despite uncertainties on the road to energy cooperation, there can be no doubt that there should be enough room for China to meet its rising demand for energy.
Even as the second largest consumer of oil, the nation with a quarter of the world's population accounted for only 9.6 percent of the global demand in 2008 while the US, with a population of 303 million, guzzled 22.5 percent.
China's per capita consumption of oil – 2 barrels a year – is lower than the world average. Mexico's per capita consumption is 7 barrels and that of the US, 25.
The global energy market is so integrated that cooperation is no longer a zero-sum game.
An ambitious energy model has been sought by China to shift its reliance from dirty coal and imported oil to clean, alternative energy. That should be the model for other nations, too.
After all, modernization at minimum energy cost is the sustainable way for all human beings. Cooperation, instead of "jungle law," should become the norm now.
