The Belt and Road Energy Cooperation

Energy cooperation is the “highlight and pioneer” of the Belt and Road Initiative. The term “highlight” means that the Belt and Road region still remains the core supplier of global energy even if shale gas revolution takes place in the US. As the main channel of energy carriage as well as major source of China’s energy, the Belt and Road region is vital to China’s energy safety. The success of the Belt and Road Initiative will greatly promote China’s energy safety. As to “pioneer”, it means that using the great domestic market, China can cooperate with countries along the Belt and Road to jointly facilitate resource exploitation, exporting and liquidity in the local markets, so as to boost regional economic growth. Besides, countries along the Belt and Road can also benefit from China’s industrial transfer as Chinese energy industry has accumulated abundant technology, experience, resources and capacity. In this way, their weak infrastructure can be greatly improved. Therefore, energy cooperation is of high importance to the implementation of Belt and Road Initiative. So far, great progress has been made in trade, investment and the cooperation with relative industries, which, however, still fails to reach the best potential. To achieve actual effects, it is necessary to figure out the research procedures on the energy cooperation of the Belt and Road Initiative, form clear strategies and plans and then take key measures.