How energy infrastructure is shaping geopolitics in East Asia.

Byline: Miyeon Oh

Large-scale, cross-border energy infrastructure connects states in long-term relationships. A choice of a pipeline route or a decision about where to develop an interconnected power grid reflects economic and energy security priorities among states, as well as political motivations and geopolitical objectives. In Asia, energy-related infrastructure developments, such as those being led by China and South Korea, are shaping regional and global relationships and affecting the broader geostrategic landscape.

The link between energy projects and China's influence and security

The prime example of a cross-border energy infrastructure project being used to advance geopolitical objectives is China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013. It aims to connect Asia, Europe and Africa through trade and infrastructure routes and covers more than 65 countries with a combined population of 4.4 billion. It serves as a blueprint for China's grand geoeconomic and geopolitical strategy of connecting itself to the global economy and strengthening its influence.

Territory covered by BRI projects spans two thirds of the world's landmass and 70% of global energy resources, but many of these resources are currently disconnected from reliable energy, water, transport and telecommunication networks. In particular, China has been building a network of transport infrastructure across Eurasia to enhance its energy supply security, as well as to spur the export of domestic excess capacity in industries driven by its economic slowdown.

While BRI infrastructure projects are part of China's bid to project geostrategic influence, Beijing has also used energy infrastructure projects to reduce specific vulnerabilities. Since China became a net importer of oil in 1993, the search for foreign sources of crude became a priority in China's national strategy. Beijing's going abroad policy provided incentives for its national oil companies to pursue overseas investments in targeted regions: Central Asia, Russia, Africa and the Middle East.

Russia and Central Asia have received close attention because of the geographical advantage of short supply lines and their geopolitical significance. Transporting oil overland represented a potential improvement over transporting oil from the politically and strategically vulnerable sea lanes, such as the South China Sea and Malacca Straits, through which more than 80% of China's crude oil...