The Dragon awakens: Innovation, competition, and transition in the energy strategy of the People's Republic of China, 1949–2017

Based on a mix of original archival research and an extensive literature review, this article assesses the history of the People's Republic of China's national energy policies since 1949. We divide this history into six phases: Emergence (1949–1957), Socialist construction (1958–1965), Turbulence (1966–1978), Reform (1979–2000), Contestation (2001–2014), and Transition (2015-present). Over the whole history of more than sixty years, China's energy production and consumption grew at a surprising speed, while energy intensity exhibited early fluctuations and a subsequent gradual decrease after the turbulence phase. In tracing this history, the article offers new historical and policy insights into the world's largest developing country and a theoretical contribution to the role of the state in shaping economy and society through energy policy. The article lastly offers an in-depth exploration of how command-and-control style administrative intervention and low levels of market liquidity have had a prophylactic effect on innovation and competition. - Highlights: • Chinese energy strategy has undergone six historical phases from 1949 to 2017. • These are emergence, socialist construction, turbulence, reform, contestation, and transition. • Command-and-control style administrative intervention have been a prominent feature. • More recent governance trends suggest fragmentation and political conflict. • Low levels of market liquidity and a lack of innovation and competition are also noteworthy.