In the mid-1990s, China ceased to be energy self-sufficient and became a major oil importer. Over the next two decades, China's dependence on overseas oil and gas supplies is set to increase substantially. This paper assesses China's emerging energy security policy and argues that it has tended to be ad hoc and incomplete, focusing on strategic rather than market measures. Geopolitically, China's growing energy needs are going to make China a more powerful actor in the global energy markets. For the West, the main challenges are to encourage a more balanced Chinese energy interdependence promotes regional and international integration rather than strategic competition and conflict.

Introduction--Ch. 1 China's Energy Security Policy--Ch. 2 China's Energy Security Policymaking and Implementation--Ch. 3 The Strategic Implications of China's Energy Needs--Conclusion.