Energy dependence with an Asian twist? Examining international energy relations in Southeast Asia

This study explores the international dimension of energy security, particularly interstate dependent relations. By developing an assessment method based on the reciprocal dependent nature of international energy interactions and the causal relations of individual energy indicators, the proposed index is applied to examine interstate energy dependence and determine whether the dependence should be considered positive, negative or mutual. Using nine Southeast Asian countries as case studies and including other relevant players involved in the dependent dynamics, the findings show interdependence in international energy relations and indicate how specific characteristics of the interactions lead to different aspects of dependent relations: external supply dependence, external demand dependence, and economic interdependence. Based on dependence levels measured by the index, symmetric and asymmetric energy dependence of the selected nine cases has been analyzed and compared, in which the results not only delineate variations of dependency status but also reflect different aspects of energy dependence in each energy product. The index has also been applied to describe bilateral energy interactions between selected countries, demonstrating how asymmetric energy dependency relations are formed and why energy import dependence is not always negative.