The government has recently issued a new Energy White Paper and adopted a Nuclear Safety report which together re-affirmed its commitment to nuclear energy.

China is the world's second largest importer of oil and a growing importer of gas. Therefore China's security of supply problems are of concern to all other energy importers.

On 23rd July 2012, CNOOC Ltd signed an agreement with Nexen to acquire Nexen’s shares listed on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges for a price of US$ 15.1 billion, as well as US$3.1 billion of debt.

The demand for coal in China is a major concern for coal mining companies and thermal power generators both inside and outside China. Small changes in China’s coal market have large implications for the international market.

The recent events in the South China Sea involving China, the Philippines and Vietnam once again bring this region to the front pages of newspapers in China and around the world. We we can but hope that no minor incident involving fishing vessels, seismic ships or drilling rigs escalates into a military engagement.

The recent re-invigoration of China's programme of dam building highlights a number of policy contradictions.

International disputes over offshore resources are on the rise. From the Arctic to the Falkland Islands and the Eastern Mediterranean, quarrels over access rights for fish, minerals, oil, and natural gas are becoming increasingly heated and potentially violent. By far the most dangerous case concerns the South and East China Seas.

China's government has set very ambitious targets for the production of shale gas. But many challenges remain.

The United States, the European Union and Japan have made a formal request for consultations with China concerning a range of export restrictions imposed on 17 rare earths, tungsten and molybdenum. But the real business of managing the supply chain for rare earths was discussed by officials from these three nations at a meeting in Tokyo on 28th March 2012.

China and its national oil company, CNPC, face growing challenges in Sudan and South Sudan.