On the connotation, challenge and significance of China's “energy independence” strategy

The world's energy is in the “third major transformation period” from fossil energy to new energy, and all countries in the world have formulated energy development strategies. Through advanced deployment, the United States is about to achieve “energy independence” relying on “unconventional oil and gas revolution”. China's energy development is faced with four challenges: (1) The population base and economic development scale determine the “totally huge amount” of energy consumption; (2) the “coal rich but oil and gas insufficient” resource structure determines the “unclean” energy consuming structure; (3) the increasing dependence on imported oil and gas determines the “unsafe” energy supply; and (4) the unconventional oil and gas endowment makes it impossible to achieve energy independence by copying the American model. From the perspective of the world energy trend and the unique situation of China's energy, we put forward a “three-step” strategy for China to achieve “energy independence”: From 2020 to 2035, “energy supply security” will be addressed by “cleaning coal, stabilizing oil and gas production and vigorously developing new alternative energy”; from 2035 to 2050, the vision of “production independence” will be realized by relying on “domestic production and overseas oil and gas mining rights”; from 2050 to 2100, “intelligent energy and new energy” will help China realize “energy independence”. The two important signs of China's “energy independence” are that domestic production accounts for more than 90% of the domestic consumption and clean energy production accounts for more than 70%, and energy security realizes “independence and self-control” and “long-term security”. The strategic significance of “energy independence” is to ensure national energy security, drive the development of relevant major industries, achieve energy management reform, and implement the environmental protection goal of zero carbon emissions. The “energy independence” of China is a strategic mission, it might be fulfilled in the future with the growth of the state's power, even when the domestic energy production does not catch up with the domestic consumption. Perhaps the world's new technological revolution will exceed expectations, and China's “energy independence” dream will eventually come true.