China’s remarkable economic growth over the past two decades has enabled it to achieve social progress, has strengthened its geopolitical position, and has served as the lynchpin of the leadership’s domestic political strategy. For the foreseeable future, China’s leaders will continue to make economic growth a top priority.
As expected, this economic expansion has been accompanied by a corresponding surge in energy consumption. China became a net importer of oil in 1993, and it is now the world’s third largest importer and second largest consumer. China has thus far been able to meet this increase in demand
and prevent the economic slowdown that an energy shortage would precipitate.