The geopolitics of energy regionalism in central Asia and south-east Asia

Abstract Energy infrastructures have become key points of competition and cooperation within the multiple regionalism agendas driven by great power rivalries in central Asia and south-east Asia. Yet central Asia and south-east Asia have received little attention within scholarship on energy regionalism, while comparative analyses on the development of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Free and Open Indo-Pacific in these regions are also lacking. To address these research gaps, this article examines the mutual constitution between energy regionalism and geopolitical rivalries between great powers in two regions of Asia. By examining multiple cross-border energy projects, this article provides insights into the history of imperialism and colonization, hegemony and regional agency for the evolution of great power competition in driving regionalism in central Asia and south-east Asia. The research demonstrates that interactions between the United States, Japan, Russia and China over energy vary significantly from one region to another. In central Asia, great powers collaborate within and outside multilateral frameworks on energy regionalism. In contrast, south-east Asia is marked by low levels of collaboration by great powers on energy. The comparative analysis demonstrates that energy regionalism is an outcome not just of strategic competition, but also of overlapping interests between great powers. In this context, the agency of central Asian and south-east Asian countries will be a key factor in managing great power relations to accelerate energy transition and enhance regional stability.