Letter from China: Taiwan tensions expose energy risks
China’s heavy reliance on energy imports means it too would be vulnerable in the event of armed confrontation
The US and China managed to avoid armed confrontation last week after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, but the highly charged incident underlined the risks to global energy security should a war break out between the world’s two superpowers over what Beijing calls its “renegade province”. No issue has the potential to sour US-China relations more than Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory and wants to reclaim—by force if necessary. Tensions were high as the US Air Force jet carrying Pelosi landed in Taiwan’s capital of Taipei last Tuesday, marking the first visit to the democratically ruled island by a House speaker in 25 years. Pelosi met Taiwanese leaders inclu
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy






