Delegates from APEC economies have met in Beijing to discuss ways to strengthen regional energy security and accelerate the transition to cleaner energy, as disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz expose vulnerabilities in the Asia-Pacific's energy supply chains.

The disruption of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz since late February 2026 has triggered a significant oil supply shock, with daily supply shortfalls reaching multi-million-barrel levels, highlighting the region's reliance on imported energy.

"From our end in Papua New Guinea, we face the impacts of the war in Iran and the impacts that on the fuel supply. We know we are an import-based economy," Conrad Kumul, a delegate from Papua New Guinea, told CGTN.

The 16th APEC Energy Ministerial Meeting comes as economies across the Asia-Pacific face pressure to secure energy supplies while pursuing long-term transition goals.

Some participants said the crisis could also create momentum for renewable energy development.

"The idea now is to push very much forward with the energy transition, even more than before," Steivan Defilla, assistant president of the APEC Sustainable Energy Center, told CGTN. "Oil prices are so high that the comparatively renewable energies are very low in price."

As this year's APEC host, China has promoted an open and inclusive approach to facilitate exchanges among member economies and encourage cooperation on energy security and sustainable development.

During his speech at the opening ceremony of the meeting, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang said China has been actively engaged in pragmatic energy cooperation within the APEC framework, effectively promoting regional energy development and making important contributions to safeguarding global energy security.

To advance global energy security and sustainable development, Ding urged efforts to vigorously develop distributed energy sources and charging infrastructure to enhance inclusive energy development in the Asia-Pacific region.

Participants said the meeting is not only about responding to immediate supply shocks but also about shaping a longer-term energy transition that ensures broader access to reliable and affordable energy.

China's contribution

China's experience in developing renewable energy and related technologies is increasingly being shared with Asia-Pacific economies seeking to diversify energy sources and improve supply resilience. By the end of 2025, China's installed wind and solar power capacity had reached 1.84 billion kilowatts, accounting for 47.3% of the country's total installed power capacity. Newly installed renewable power generation capacity in China also reached another record high last year, accounting for more than 60% of global additions, according to the China Renewable Energy Development Report.

The rapid expansion has helped China develop large-scale expertise in solar power, energy storage and smart grid technologies.

In Southeast Asia, Chinese companies have been involved in renewable energy projects that combine clean power generation with technologies to improve grid stability. In Laos, China's Sifang Electric provided a 5MW/10MWh energy storage system integration solution for Laos' first photovoltaic and energy storage project, which entered operation in 2025. The system uses battery energy storage, power conversion and energy management technologies to help smooth fluctuations from solar generation and support stable grid operation.

Chinese energy investments have also played a critical role in Cambodia's energy transition, according to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies. The Shanxi Institute, a subsidiary of China Energy Engineering Corporation, won an engineering, procurement and construction contract for a 250-megawatt solar power project in the country. The project is expected to support Cambodia's goal of reaching 1 GW of operating capacity by 2030.

Beyond individual projects, China's clean energy supply chains have become an important part of the region's energy transition. Chinese-made solar panels, batteries and other clean-energy equipment are being used by Asia-Pacific economies to expand renewable capacity and strengthen energy security, as countries seek to balance rising electricity demand with long-term low-carbon development goals.