Originally published February 23 2006
China now second-leading importer of oil, report shows
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
China became the second-leading importer of oil after the United States last year, according to the Worldwatch Institute's "The State of the World 2006," and some worry global competition for oil may be on its way to new highs.
THE world faces the real threat of a new conflict over oil as China competes with existing world powers for scarce resources to feed its growing economy, according to a report published today.
37 per cent of cotton and 47 per cent of cement.
While environmentalists are concerned about the impact on the world's climate and the drain on its resources, strategists fear that the competition for energy, particularly oil, could destabilise the planet.
According to the report, China was nearly self-sufficient in oil in the mid-1990s.
But over the past decade its consumption has doubled and it has now overtaken Japan as the second-largest importer of oil, with 3.2 million barrels a day in 2004.
It predicts that if the economies of China and India continue to grow at their current rate, the world will not be able to produce enough oil to meet demand by 2050, when consumption will have grown from the current 85 million barrels a day to 200 million barrels.
"Few geologists believe that output will reach even half those levels before beginning to decline," the report says.
As a result China is already looking for new oil suppliers from Siberia to Sudan, often dealing with notorious regimes, such as the junta in Burma.
Of even greater concern is the possibility that open conflict could break out between nations competing for resources or trying to protect their supply lines, such as key trade routes, currently patrolled by the US Navy.
"The prospect of countries ranging from the United States and China to Japan and Saudi Arabia --- together with the world's terrorists --- vying for physical control of the world's oil does not sound like a prescription for global security," the Worldwatch report says.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml