How Taiwan is balancing between American and Chinese visions of energy dominance
How Taiwan is balancing between American and Chinese visions of energy dominance
Publish Date: 2026-06-11 11:44:00
Source Domain: theconversation.com
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Trump’s energy emergency declaration: U.S. President Donald Trump declared a national energy emergency emphasizing “energy dominance,” aiming to reassert American power through fossil fuel exports.
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Record U.S. production: U.S. oil and gas production have reached record highs, largely boosted by the shale revolution, with LNG exports dominating global markets.
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Strategic control dilemmas: Despite high production levels, U.S. struggles to control market prices due to OPEC+ influence, shipping issues, and the rise of renewables.
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Coercion and compliance: Coercive measures have secured some commitments from allies like Europe, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan to buy U.S. fossil fuels, often for security and protection from tariffs rather than economics.
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China’s clean-technology dominance: Unlike the U.S., China has pivoted to becoming a leader in clean-technology sectors, manufacturing most solar panels, wind turbines, EV batteries, and critical minerals.
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Energy security and Taiwan’s predicament: Taiwan faces an energy crisis if cut off from LNG supplies during a conflict, highlighting its dependence on imported energy and its exposure to geopolitical risks.
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Taiwan’s strategy: Taiwan aims to diversify energy sources, increasing American LNG imports and expanding its renewable energy capacity to achieve net-zero targets while balancing against Chinese pressure.
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Critique of ‘energy dominance’: The article argues the strategy of ‘energy dominance’ is flawed, as control over fossil fuels does not guarantee strategic resilience, urging a reevaluation of U.S. energy and climate policies.
