Russia China Energy Relations : A Comprehensive Overview Essay

Russia has built a strong, but stagnating economy on several natural resources to include the refinery and export of natural gas and oil. According to the Jim Picht (2014) exportation of natural gas and oil to Eastern Europe account for 70 percent of Russia’s exports and 53 percent of the government’s revenue. Along with exporting oil to Eastern Europe, Russia also exports too many countries to include China and Belarus. Europe fueled majority by Russian supplied natural gas and oil, the dependency of Europe’s need for this natural resource is the reason Russia’s economy is so strong. In 2014, when Russia decided to invade the neighboring country of Ukraine has led Europe to begin searching for other suppliers of their natural resources. If Europe finds other countries to supply the natural resources

In Asia, North Korea continues to test nuclear weapons, and the oppressive regime is threatening to the security in the continent, and especially to our allies in South Korea. Currently there are “more than a million service members on either side of the demilitarized zone on the Korean Peninsula” [25]. Therefore “vigilance and readiness” are a top priority in the region. China’s recent actions in their modernization and buildup of the county’s military show China’s assertion of their growing economic power. China,

In 1973, President Nixon announced “Project Independence,” a full-scale effort to provide the capacity to meet American energy needs with American energy resources. Every President of the United States since Richard Nixon has repeated the goal of achieving energy independence and linked it to national security. This was a logical reaction to the crippling economic shocks caused by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries’ (OPEC) oil embargoes in 1973-4. Energy independence is a seductive idea because it seems to provide U.S. with the economic freedom to walk away from the Middle East’s political instability. The problem with this scenario is it is poorly thought out because the results not only affect the U.S. domestically, but

Japan and China have been in cold relations ever since the end of World War II. After the war, there was barely any diplomacy to bring together their relation. Not until 1972 Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka of Japan visited China with an official invitation. At the scene, both sides were willing for reconciliation and normalization, result with the Joint Communique between two governments. From that moment on, the (economic) relations of the two nations has been reestablished, encouraged and developed rapidly (China, Japan Joint Communique, 1972). There is an opinion that China’s incredible (economic) developing rate has greatly influenced Japan diplomatic with Beijing since that time. And this essay is going to support this argument with data as well as historical and contemporary context. First, energy requirement is usually critical to the development and modernization of China and the stabilization of Japan. Therefore, variables that related to it can influence both countries’ economic interest, lead to the consideration of policy makers. It is clear that both countries were in need of developing their gas and oil fields. Second, Japanese engagement into China market have changed a lot - Japanese companies and corporations were having decreasing influence on the economy of the client country - led to the need of adjusting investment policies within the government body. Third, China is modernizing and in many ways will be able to surpass Japan in near future. Therefore

It is no longer appropriate to say, “China is quickly emerging as a global superpower.” The fact is China is just that. Realizing this the United States of America has attempted to once again turn its focus eastward. Continuing problems at home and in the Middle East however have made doing so difficult. Additionally more and more frequently attempts at influencing the ongoing narrative in the Asia- Pacific region have been rebuffed. Even allies have found strength in the emergence of a system that fails to conform to previously prescribed methods and ideals. This leads to a fundamental question America must answer quickly. Has the growing hypocrisy of idealistic political rhetoric versus actual foreign policy finally undermined American credibility with developing nations, or for the purposes of this paper more specifically China? The answer is yes.

Energy is more than a utility that keeps the lights on in our homes or the gas in our cars; it’s a foundational resource that plays a key role in a nation’s ability to provided economic opportunity and basic services and security to its people. As such, it is imperative to a nation’s overall security that it develops/acquires access to energy, ensures energy needs are properly met and supplies are readily available, and disruptions minimized. Policy directs that the U.S. has a role in developing energy security throughout the world. For the U.S., we’ve long recognized the importance of energy security and have gone to great lengths to ensure its protection by developing depth and breadth in energy capabilities,

In this article, “How to Deter China, The Case for Archipelagic Defense”, Andrew Krepinevich, includes various examples of China’s trait of bullying and how others, who are victim, may not be able to compete in the same way with other governments. He includes strategies that the United States may or may not be able to implement in order to aid in Asian peace. We are given information regarding our country’s planned action to address this issue. He gives examples of how China’s bullying and repression on other countries that are located within China’s reach occur. For example, Krepinevich writes, “China moved an oil rig into Vietnam's exclusive economic zone, clashing with Vietnamese fishing boats”. These actions would never lead to peace between Vietnam and China, however, it only proves who is the most powerful of the two. It is true that China is a world power that is very advanced and able to do the majority of what it wants, but this does not justify actions that cause problems among others. He brings up “Archipelagic Defense”, and this is just a country’s ability to stand firm and defend themselves with these issues. He explains how several countries like Vietnam and Japan in particular, are willing to put forth the efforts necessary for archipelagic defense. This defense is needed in responding to this

Russia and China face many similar challenges in their transitions to market economies. Both countries have extremely large populations and huge landmasses. They also both are autonomous countries that have experienced thousands of years of autocracy. Historically being land empires in the center of Eurasia, they developed strong central state legacies with distinct identities, cultures, and legitimacies. As former command socialist economies, establishing a market capitalist system was a daunting task for both Russia and China. The nations had to attempt to invent the process throughout transition. They must establish property rights, establish banking systems, deal with inflation, and overcome ideological antipathy towards capitalism. Considering the similar factors and conditions both nations dealt with creates for interesting comparison and contrast in analyzing the causes of China’s successes and Russia’s failures in transitioning to a market economy. In this paper, I will compare and contrast the role of property rights in the economic transitions of Russia and China through an analysis of the states’ approaches to transformation and the role of the states throughout reform.

It could, therefore, be argued that these increased political tensions may cause the US to lose key allies and in turn help China become the more favoured country. However, in recent times, China has proven to be arrogant, aggressive and rude when it comes to executing its foreign policy. Many countries, including Japan and India, claim to find it increasingly challenging to cooperate with China and this has done nothing but push said countries towards the US and cemented the US’s global power. Therefore, it is clear that even in terms of soft power, the US scores much higher than China and as a result there will be no shift in power which re-emphasizes the fact that the world order is not changing.

The Australian-Chinese relationship stands as an important symbol for international relations in the Asian region. Presently, Australian face an important juncture in their relationship with China. Should Australians be concerned with Chinese military aggressions in the South China Sea or be more focused on strengthening an already strong Australian-Chinese economic partnership? China is Australia’s largest trading partner and has been a vehicle for Australian economic growth in recent decades (Drysdale & Xiaoqiang). Australian leaders must value the self-interest of the people of Australia. Leaders must focus on ensuring long term survival and prosperity of the great nation of Australia. I advocate a mostly defensive realist approach for Australian foreign policy towards China. I believe a policy of economic engagement suits the short and long term interest of Australia and will provide needed stability to the region.

The events that have taken place over the past couple of centuries, and more so the past decade, have monumentally impacted the relationship between the United States and China for better and for worse. Today, China and the U.S. have evolved into two of the most elite superpowers in the world, and they classify as some of the most prominent leaders in economics, military, technology, and universal innovation. Currently, the United States is just weeks away from electing their next president, cyber-attacks are being investigated exponentially, and the South China Sea Debate continues to be disputed. The outcomes of all these events will undoubtedly affect the relationship between China and the United States for the next 10 years.

Russia's new strength is also based on its vast reserves of oil and natural gas, which as the price of crude exceeds $ 120 per barrel, give the country tremendous bargaining power, not only in its relations with countries directly dependent on its supplies as Ukraine, Germany and Hungary, but, in general, by the capacity of influence that give

Realism assumes that under a balance of power, the overriding aim of all states is to maximize power and become the only hegemony in the system. States only help themselves in the anarchic international system. Therefore, China’s rise is regarded as a disconcerting threat to the U.S.’s primacy of power in the present international stage. The power shift in East Asia is creating security dilemmas; the U.S. thus demands more security to its Asian allies including Philippines, Japan and South Korea. The rapidly-rising Chinese power would inevitably challenge the current international balance of power and appear aggressively in the eyes of weaker power such as the Philippines. Therefore it seeks help to its ally, the U.S., to counterbalance the power of China. China intends to gain more resources and to transform current international order to its favor according to its national interests. The 2010 Chinese White Paper on National Defence states that: “Contradictions continue to surface between developed and developing countries and between traditional

Snyder claims that realism failed to predict the Cold War. Given this, Mearsheimer states “China cannot rise peacefully.” Since realists describe the world as a self-help system, according to Posen, every country “must look to its own interests relative to those of others” and because “security is the preeminent issue in an anarchic world, the distribution of capabilities to attack and defend should matter.” Thus, because China’s strive for regional hegemony inevitably threatens the power dynamic of the global system, the U.S. will, according to Mearsheimer, take an offensive realist approach that will eventually lead to war. In addition, as seen in post-Cold War, economic stability greatly determines the distribution of power. Friedberg notes, that the projected “speed and magnitude of China’s growth in recent decades appears to be unprecedented” and as early as 2015, “China’s economy could overtake that of the United States.” Although the U.S. faces an unprecedented challenge to economic power, according to Ikenberry, China has signaled cooperation by “redoubling its participation in existing institutions, such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit or working with the other great powers in the region to build new ones.” Nevertheless, following the actions of the U.S. post WWII, China strategically makes “itself more predictable and approachable” to reduce “the incentives for other

The oil industry is one of great power that countries are invest in. Russia is one of the leading contenders in producing oil and exports the goods to various countries. With great resources comes great strength. Oil is of the utmost important to every country therefore, Russia has an upper hand in some respects. Moreover, the history behind the oil pipelines and how Russia connects to different countries allows for insight into the power they withhold politically and economically, and on the improvements that need to be made to continue growth in this industry.