On April 26 Dr. Xue Gong, Assistant Professor in China Programme of S.Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) gave a lecture on energy security cooperation between China and Southeast Asian countries at the invitation of the ASEAN Centre in MGIMO University. The event was held as part of the “ASEAN Academic Days 2021 in MGIMO” educational program, moderator: Dr. Ekaterina Koldunova, ASEAN Centre Acting Director, Associate Professor of the Department of Asian and African Studies.
Dr. Xue Gong stressed the shifting China’s approach towards energy security cooperation with Southeast Asian countries and shared her explanation of the reasons behind the process. The lecturer supported her reasoning with the analysis of investment flows structure and dynamics and the functioning of bi- and multilateral cooperation mechanisms in energy security cooperation. Dr. Xue Gong also thoroughly analyzed the renewable energy cooperation, specifying the main sectors and host countries.
The acceptance of China’s investment by SEA host countries and the issue of “accountability” prompted a vivid discussion: the audience showed interest in analyzing the proportion of political and economic motives in energy security cooperation and its geopolitical implications. The idea of welcoming new counterparts even from outside the region also fueled the discussion. In that respect Russia needs to analyze China’s experience in cooperation with ASEAN countries, its achievements and setbacks, in order to elaborate its own course in cooperation with Southeast Asian countries.
Lecture by Dr. Xue Gong. ASEAN Academic Days 2021