Beijing Trip

For Beijing, I was able to organize more interviews, thanks to GW network. First, Professor Ollapally kindly shared contact information of Chinese scholars and policy-makers who participated in the GW Energy Security Workshop that took place in Beijing this January. Also, Professor Sohn whom I met in 2009 when he was a visiting scholar to GW Law School introduced me several contacts. Overall, despite being in summer vacation week in Beijing, I was able to meet the following Chinese scholars and officials as well as Korean diplomats in Beijing.

Interviewees

Interview 1 - Andrew (Legal Department, Chinese National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC)), Hu Hong (Lawyer)

Interview 2 - Xu Bin (Chinese Petroleum University), Huang Guangmin (Overseas Development, CNPC)

Interview 3 – Bumheum Baek (Chief Consulate, Korean Embassy), Youngsam Kim (Industrial Representative, Korean Embassy)

Interview 4 – Chen Shaofeng (Peking University)

Interview 5 – Zha Daojiong (Peking University)

Peking University (West Gate) 

Peking University Campus

School of International Studies, Peking University

School of International Studies, Peking University

Korean Embassy, Beijing

CNPC Headqurater, the interview took place at a cafe near the building. 

All the interviews went rather well but in different ways. For instance, I was able to ask questions about inner-working of CNPC as well as the relationship between the Chinese government and its state-owned companies with interviews with CNPC officials. Most of it is not available on papers, which made their answers very useful and valuable in developing and testing my argument. Scholars, on the other hand, were able to comment on theoretical implication of my research – why the question I’m addressing matters, what theoretical contributions this project may be able to make, and in what ways the complexity of real world oil market imposes limits on the project etc. Interestingly, some of their answers directly conflicted with the ones given by CNPC officials, and resolving the disagreement is one important challenge that I need to undertake before finalizing the project. Lastly, meetings with Korean diplomats were more interactive than other interviews as they were interested in my argument as well as what I have found out thus far about Chinese oil companies.

a feast with old friend! (only 52 degree Chinese spirit...)

Sanlitun - an emerging shopping area in Beijing

Beijing trip was very productive as I was able to gain important insights that aren’t readily available outside the country. Thank you and I hope to share what I have learnt once I get back to DC.