China or the United States: which threatens energy security?

As the global energy market undergoes profound changes with price of oil reaching record highs and China emerging as a major force in world energy and global energy geo‐politics, a debate on what has been described as ‘China energy threat’ seems to be gaining ground in western strategic circles. However, this is an illusion that is now somewhat exaggerated and overrated. As a matter of fact, the effect of the United States on global energy security affairs is far greater than that of China, and Washington is also not always the defender of the energy security as it claims to be.