Since the mid-1950s and 1980s, China has expanded its relations with Africa as part of its broader strategy of developing friendly relations with the Third World. In recent years, China has achieved deeper ties with many African countries, and the issue of Chinese energy security and geopolitics in Africa has received more attention. This article offers an overview of the Sino-African oil relationship to provide a foundation for future analyses.

Chinas growing energy needs
Chinas pursuit of energy resources has generated great interest in the last decade, and energy concerns are indeed a vital national security interest for China in order to sustain both economic growth and economic development. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), as of July 2010, China surpassed the United States as the worlds largest energy consumer. Analysts say that for China, energy security is crucial for its economic health and directly relates to the legitimacy and survival of the Communist Party. Chinas push to secure energy resources and raw materials is part of its energy security diversification strategy, which is also evidenced in other regions such as the Middle East, Latin America, and Central Asia.

Oil, or petroleum, is only one component of the energy resource picture, though an increasingly important one. China remains dependent on fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. In 2008, Chinas oil consumption made up just under 20 percent of Chinas total energy use.

China is currently the second-largest consumer of oil in the world, and more than half of its crude oil is imported. By 2020, official sources estimate that China will import about 65 percent of its crude oil. China does produce oil domestically, though in 1993, China became a net importer of oil and has since increased its dependency on foreign imports. According to the EIA, China was the second largest net oil importer in the world in 2009; official statistics also record Chinas oil imports at 204 million tons in 2009, and crude oil accounting for 52 percent of Chinas oil consumption.

About the Author:
To read the rest of this article by Shelly Zhao about China Africa relations, please visit China-Briefing.com, which was established by Chris Devonshire-Ellis, the founder of China business advisory firm, Dezan Shira & Associates.