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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JohnM who wrote (34911)	7/24/2002 5:57:40 PM
From: teevee	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

John, I don't think my lead in was deceptive at all: "The United States is currently the most powerful country in the world and is perceived by many in China as uncomfortable with China's rising power," says a recent study by the U.S.-based Rand think-tank. "As a result, the Chinese government views the United States as the primary threat to China's energy security." ..... The U.S. Energy Information Administration, or EIA, predicts that China's oil consumption is likely to increase from 4.78 million barrels a day in 2000 to 10.5 million barrels a day by 2020. On the way, China will overtake Japan as the world's second-largest oil consumer behind the U.S.... China has also invested heavily in foreign oilfields in a bid to guarantee supply. The state-owned China National Petroleum Corp. has negotiated oil deals in Venezuela, Peru, Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Indonesia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. These deals have given China control over an estimated 2.7 billion barrels in foreign oil reserves.... Even if all these measures to diversify energy supplies are successful, some oil-and-gas industry observers believe China will have little choice but to remain a major customer for Middle East oil if its economy continues to expand. One sign that Beijing shares this view is the strenuous diplomatic effort that it is making to increase its influence in that region. China is no less forward thinking in their foreign affairs than the U.S.A. and Britain. China already has a vested interest in this region with control over 2.7 billion barrels of foreign reserves. This number will continue to grow with the USA and Britain on the outside looking in as China expands its oil and gas interests in Iraq and Iran. What is China doing now to thwart the invasion? Do the strenuous diplomatic efforts by China in the middle east include helping Saddam prepare for an invasion? Will China counter attack elsewhere? There is far more to the invasion of Iraq than Bush and Blair are letting on. There is a struggle going on now for access to and control of oil and gas resources for future needs....