The importance of energy to a country's development cannot be overemphasized.

Without a solid and reliable energy foundation to prop up the development of its industry, any country will be doomed to collapse economically.

Any country - especially a large country such as China, which is enjoying a booming economy and consequent huge energy consumption - cannot afford to pay inadequate attention to its long-term energy strategy.

The establishment of the Research Centre for International Energy Strategies, affiliated to the Institute of International Studies under the Beijing-based Renmin University of China, aims to contribute to the country's energy-strategy research and development.

Last Tuesday, the newly founded institute sponsored a symposium on the US-led war against Iraq and international energy security.

Experts agreed that history has proven the close link between the energy strategy of a country and international relations.

The struggle for control of precious energy resources has been a fundamental reason for numerous present and past regional crises and conflicts worldwide.

The US war against Iraq was launched with the high-sounding excuse of destroying the weapons of mass destruction allegedly possessed or being developed by the Saddam Hussein regime. However, the underlying purpose for this war without United Nations authorization was obviously to secure access to the country's plentiful petroleum resources.

The current diplomatic struggles in the international community about post-war Iraqi reconstruction have also been very much related to who will control the country's enormous petroleum reserves.

With more than two decades of fast-paced economic development, China has a growing demand for energy, and its energy structure is also undergoing strategic readjustment.

China's energy situation has already raised a number of new tasks for the country in terms of politics, the economy, diplomacy, military affairs, and science and technology.

Particularly under the present complicated international political and economic circumstances, the establishment of an efficient energy strategy and a sound energy reserve will undoubtedly be of real significance to the country's sustainable development.

Compared with other major countries, however, China has lagged far behind in research into energy strategies.

The establishment of Chinese energy-strategy think-tanks will inevitably promote more active research in this field.