Energy exploitation and cooperation is critically important in Asian countries. It involves considerations of international relations, geographic politics, and infrastructure construction. In the context of “The Belt and Road” proposed by China, economic growth has much to offer to improve policy making in this realm. Energy exploitation and cooperation define today’s major problems in energy economics and policy faced by energy industrialists, scientists and policy-makers worldwide.

We have progressed from the discovery of fire to the use of electricity, and from the excavation of fossil fuels to the rapid development of renewable energies. Every time, the discovery of new energy sources and the replacement of the old has always played a crucial role in human progress. Large scale exploitation and application of energy helps to increase productivity in a dramatic way, stimulating scientific and technological progress. It reduces the gap between countries and regions and advances economic globalization.

However, the development and use of energy also creates environmental and security problems, posing challenges for us all.The growth of population and economy leads to an immense increase in energy consumption. The global, ecological and environmental systems are now under huge pressure. Global challenges such as climate change and energy security are increasingly acute. 

Energy cooperation features prominently in the win-win cooperation among Asian countries. They have had cooperation in the field of fossil fuels, such as oil and gas. How should energy development and cooperation in Asia be addressed? What kind of competition and cooperation patterns should be taken and how should they be applied? Does the current energy supply and transport infrastructure ensure long-term security? What alternative solutions exist? At the 6^thIAEE Asian Conference these topics and more will be discussed in Wuhan.