China, Japan and Asean Energy Politics

Abstract

Because China's demand for hydrocarbons is rapidly increasing and Japan remains dependent upon foreign sources, energy resources in the East Asia play a pivotal role in security policies of two of the largest energy consumers on the planet. While both nations are attempting to secure a steady supply of resources through cooperative "soft power" efforts, violent clashes in the South China Sea indicate that China's security policy may be more military focused than Beijing indicates.