China Review News (CRN) recently published a commentary on the impact of the improved U.S. energy independence. The commentary mentioned that the U.S. energy self-sufficiency rate reached 81% in the first 10 months of 2011. The U.S. has transformed itself from a daily importer of 2.5 million barrels of refined oil to a net exporter of refined oil. Only 17% of U.S. imported oil is from the Middle East. Meanwhile, it is estimated that, in 2013, China will rely on imported oil for nearly 60% of its oil consumption. Today, Iran alone supplies 10% of China’s oil imports. China’s energy suppliers are mostly from the Middle East and Africa. In 2010, China’s share of the world’s energy consumption reached 20.82%. The commentary concluded, based on these numbers, that the highly improved U.S. energy independence offered a great opportunity for the U.S. to reshape its global strategy to focus on the East and to build a U.S.-centered Asia-Pacific order.

Source: China Review News, March 12, 2012
http://gb.chinareviewnews.com/doc/1020/2/4/7/102024759.html?coluid=148&kindid=7550&docid=102024759&mdate=0312000212

Xinhua published an article written by Wang Haiyun, Deputy Director of the Chinese Association on the History of Sino-Russian Relations. The article discussed how to break the U.S. encirclement of China. It stressed the need to form international alliances to counter how the U.S. encircles China and hinders its rise. The article stated, “The structural conflicts between China and the U.S. have determined that the U.S. strategy to prevent China’s rise will not undergo any fundamental change. … Although the U.S. still mouths many words about developing a cooperative relationship with China, what it does is totally the opposite. This is the serious reality China must face. … [China] cannot continue to maintain the unrealistic illusion of ‘developing a strategic relationship’ with the U.S.”

“Therefore, China must adjust its international strategy as soon as possible. While trying to maintain the stability of the relationship with the U.S. and avoid turning a localized conflict into a large-scale conflict, [China] must actively explore the strategy and means to break the U.S.’ encirclement. One important thought is to change [China’s] ‘non-alliance’ to a ‘quasi-alliance.’ The U.S. targets China in many different ways. We [China] cannot just fight alone.”

“The main points of the ‘quasi-alliance’ strategy include: 1) Continue to state the ‘three-no’-policy of ‘non-alliance, non-confrontation, and not targeting a third country,’ and, in addition, not publicly forming a military alliance for a certain period of time. 2) Strive to create ‘neighboring friendship areas, strategic stability areas, and economic cooperation areas,’ turning them into our neighboring geographic and strategic allies. 3). Form the image of a ‘dependable but unprovokable’ big country, while enhancing our soft power in the neighboring countries.”

Source: Xinhua, March 11, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2012-03/11/c_122815157.htm

Xinhua published a rebuttal to Western comments that China may have softened its stance on the South China Sea issue, which they made in the light of China’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hong Lei’s statement that “no countries, including China, have laid claim to the entire South China Sea.” The article holds, “China has never laid claim to the entire South China Sea. Instead China has maintained that it has sovereignty and jurisdiction over the islands in the South China Sea as well as their adjacent waters. This position is consistent and clear. … In fact, [Hong Lei’s] statement is a strong rebuttal to those who, with the ulterior motive to cause confusion, have distorted China’s position on the issue of sovereignty over the South China Sea.” Even countries that have made no claim to sovereignty have taken turns holding joint military exercises or submitting bids for oil and gas in the South China Sea region, thus creating instability.

Source: Xinhua, March 12, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2012-03/12/c_131454775.htm