The importance of Central Asian energy resources in China's foreign policy

In a changing and developing world, the need for energy has always remained constant as an unchanging phenomenon. Societies have resorted to various ways to meet the energy they need over time. In the process that started with the Industrial Revolution, the primary energy source was coal. However, then coal was replaced by oil. Among the most widely used energy sources are sources such as oil, coal, natural gas, renewable energy. China is the country that consumes the most energy today. Although China is a rich country in terms of energy resources, it imports more than half of the energy it needs. This situation forces China to take the energy factor among its priorities while forming its foreign policy. China meets a significant portion of its energy imports from Middle Eastern countries. However, the fact that the trade made here is through the sea routes under American control, pushes China to create alternative routes. Especially after the Cold War, Central Asia has attracted attention as a geography with rich energy resources. American and European-based energy companies and policy makers immediately wanted to be active in Central Asia. China has started to create a foreign policy for the region without wasting time. Many very important projects have been presented and implemented in a very short time for Central Asia, which is an alternative energy import route for China. In this study, it will be investigated how Central Asia can play a role in meeting China's energy needs. Keywords: Energy, China, Central Asia