Maintaining green energy security and preventing dependence on China
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In this publication, Noriko Endo explains why the Quad countries should align their decarbonisation policies – ideally through an intergovernmental conference on energy security – to prevent China’s energy dominance.
Key points
- Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is one of the few energy sources for which China is dependent on the United States, Australia, and Japan.
- Accelerating decarbonisation policies to break away from dependence on Russian gas will only replace Russian risks with Chinese risks.
- Expanding China’s nuclear power exports will make the economies of importing countries more dependent on China.
Policy recommendations
- Quad countries should align their decarbonisation policies – ideally through an intergovernmental conference on energy security – to prevent China’s energy dominance.
- The US and Australia should continue producing natural gas to provide a steady supply as well as to maintain Chinese dependence on LNG, which must pass through a shipping choke.
- Quad countries should dissuade other countries from obtaining nuclear reactors from China, including by providing them with technical and financial support.
About the series
This paper has been written for the Quad Tech Network Dialogue, as part of the Quad Tech Network (QTN) initiative. QTN is an initiative of the NSC, delivered with support from the Australian Government. It aims to establish and deepen academic and official networks linking the Quad nations – Australia, India, Japan, and the United States – in relation to the most pressing technology issues affecting the future security and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific.
