The Study on Mainland China’s Energy Diplomacy toward Africa

• Main Author: 游智偉
• Other Authors: Chao, Chien Min
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2007
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/03754413267803133179

碩士 === 國立政治大學 === 中山人文社會科學研究所 === 95 === In recent years, Mainland China has tried to sign oil supply and related exploration and exploitation contracts around the world, which has caused some western countries dissatisfaction. The essence, purpose, and means of Mainland China’s energy diplomacy have become the focus of debate in the academic and political circles. Some European countries even judged that Mainland China’s energy diplomacy toward Africa is a kind of neo-colonialism, but scholars from Mainland China consider it as mercantilism. The purposes of this thesis are to examine three assumptions: whether Mainland China’s foreign policy belongs to classical realism or neo realism; whether energy is the core of Mainland China’s foreign policy toward Africa; and whether the type of energy diplomacy toward Africa is neo- colonialism or mercantilism. The related theories including realism, international political economy and Neo-colonialism will also be reviewed of this thesis in order to establish four dimensions and twelve indictors to examine my assumptions. The conclusions of this thesis could be summarized into four dimensions: Firstly, Mainland China’s Africa policy is the typical neo-realism, seeking the better relative gain than African countries, and its policy arrangement is restricted by the power structure of the international system. Secondly, energy, especially oil, is the core concern of the Mainland China’s African policy. The investments of Mainland China’s enterprises in Africa also take energy as the main consideration. Thirdly, investments derived from three oil enterprises including China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (SINOPEC) focus on the right of oil exploration and exploitation, which conforms to the result of its domestic debates about energy security. Finally, Mainland China’s investments toward Africa can not help the economic development in Africa, but will not slow down the Africa’s economic development nor extend its ability to influence Africa.