Research on the Trade Characteristics of Conventional Energy Network Countries: Based on the Trade Characteristics of Leading Countries

To study the trade characteristics and important trends of leading countries in conventional energy networks, this paper uses trade data on coal, oil and natural gas based on complex network theory; constructs a comprehensive directed weighted network; and analyzes the trade relations, trade volume, betweenness centrality and trade groups of China, the United States, Russia and Saudi Arabia. The results show that import and export trade relations exhibit the characteristics of power-law distribution, but the four countries are developing toward diversified trading partners. The United States has the greatest advantage in obtaining conventional energy and has the strongest control over energy. China’s advantage in obtaining conventional energy shows a downward trend, but its control over energy is second only to the United States. Saudi Arabia has the least advantage in obtaining energy and the weakest control, and it is an energy supplier. Russia’s trading bloc is the most stable. These four countries played a leading role in their trade bloc in most years.