“I want to buy a Chinese electric vehicle!” Exclusive interview with two former leaders of developed countries: how to respond to the Middle East energy crisis

Every reporter｜Zhang Huaishui Every editor｜Liao Dan

In recent days, the escalation of the US-Iran war has triggered a surge in global energy prices, impacting the global economy.

During the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026, reporters from “National Business Daily” (hereinafter referred to as NBD) interviewed former Slovenian President Turk and former New Zealand Prime Minister Shipley. Slovenia is an EU member state and a high-income economy, while New Zealand is a developed economy within the Commonwealth. Both countries are recognized as developed economies by international organizations such as the United Nations and the IMF (International Monetary Fund).

These two former leaders of developed countries expressed deep concern over the current tensions in the Middle East and the resulting spike in energy prices, believing there is an urgent need for energy transformation, and highly recognize China’s global leading position in the photovoltaic and new energy vehicle sectors.

Turk further stated, “I currently drive a Toyota, previously drove a Volvo, and in the future, I plan to switch to an electric vehicle, and I will definitely choose a Chinese brand because there are many options available.”

AI is driving exponential growth in energy demand, necessitating exploration of more solutions in the photovoltaic field

NBD: How do you view the impact of the US-Iran war on the global energy landscape? Will it accelerate the process of reducing reliance on fossil fuels globally?

Shipley: Due to the situation in the Middle East, there is widespread concern about the continuous rise in energy prices. What concerns me more is what the fundamental driving force behind the rising energy demand is. Currently, an important reason is the explosion of AI (artificial intelligence) and the digital industry. Data centers require a substantial amount of electricity, and in the future, quantum computing will lead to exponential, doubling growth in energy demand. Countries are competing to attract data centers, which further drives up energy prices.

We see that China is not only making breakthroughs in new energy technologies such as nuclear power but is also a global leader in solar technology. Many countries, including New Zealand, are using Chinese technology to build solar power plants. New energy not only provides new energy supply but also aligns well with sustainable development, making it crucial for the future energy landscape.

It is undeniable that the current rise in energy prices has made it difficult for some governments and people to afford. Therefore, the tech community needs to develop greener and more cost-effective technologies to produce more energy with the same or even fewer resources. In this regard, we see that while China’s economic and social development has brought more electricity and energy consumption, it also has strong innovation capabilities in new energy, leading to a more balanced overall development. Thus, in the context of a turbulent international energy landscape, we hope to hear more Chinese voices and see more Chinese solutions.

Turk: Regarding the rise in oil prices, this is a situation that no one wants to see and it should not be happening; it is fundamentally a major mistake. The rise in oil prices is a negative consequence of military actions by the US and Israel against Iran. The unrest and turmoil in the Middle East is something the whole world does not wish to see; what the international community truly hopes for is to achieve a ceasefire and stabilize the oil market.

Although we have been vigorously developing photovoltaic, renewable energy, and other new energy sources, the world is still highly dependent on oil, so we must remain cautious regarding energy issues.

China is a global leader in the photovoltaic field, both in terms of production capacity of photovoltaic products and the practical application level of photovoltaic technology, which are among the best in the world. I have personally conducted field investigations, such as visiting areas like the Kubuqi Desert, where I saw a large number of photovoltaic panels and projects being built, along with many trees being planted to combat desertification. This not only effectively addresses desertification and improves the ecological environment but also promotes agricultural development while protecting northern cities in China. Therefore, we should rely on photovoltaic products and technology to explore more comprehensive utilization solutions, and China is already ahead in this regard.

I believe the current issue is that China and the EU need to reach a consensus on cooperation and application of photovoltaic products, coordinating their respective domestic capacities, and both sides need to further discuss production capacity issues.

Currently, China is significantly increasing the scale of new energy utilization, actively developing photovoltaic, wind power, and other types of new energy. In the current energy situation, this is a necessary task. China and Europe should work together to clarify each party’s practical needs for photovoltaic products.

The Middle East situation has led to rising fuel costs, significantly impacting low- to middle-income households

NBD: The Middle East crisis has led to rising international oil prices. What are your thoughts on your country’s energy security?

Shipley: New Zealand’s economy currently relies heavily on exports. With a population of only about 5 million, the products produced domestically far exceed our needs, and a large portion must be exported globally. Thus, the supply chain is crucial for us, especially fuel supply, which is a top priority for New Zealand.

The rise in international crude oil prices has led to an increase in domestic gasoline and diesel prices, significantly impacting low- to middle-income families in New Zealand. In response, the government has launched a “supplementary payment” program to provide subsidies for a year to help these families cope with the pressure from rising fuel prices. After the tensions in the Middle East, fuel costs have further increased; such subsidies are essential for maintaining the daily lives of the public.

At the same time, we are also working with global partners to stabilize supply chains. Regarding the Middle East issue, New Zealand has maintained a relatively low profile, but we have always voiced our stance responsibly, calling on all parties to remain calm, enhance cooperation, and jointly seek solutions.

NBD: You just mentioned that the Middle East energy crisis has made everyone realize the importance of energy transformation. For the EU, including your country, is energy transformation an “essential topic”?

Turk: First, it must be made clear that the EU not only needs services and agriculture but also requires industrial products. Promoting industrial manufacturing and modernization is an important development direction for the EU’s future. From a long-term geopolitical perspective, the EU will still be an important manufacturing cooperation and market center for China, so China and the EU should not only focus on competition but also pay attention to policy coordination and cooperation.

During my visit to China, one strong impression I had was that the development of electric vehicles in China is strong, with vast prospects not only in China but also tremendous potential in Europe. Therefore, energy transformation is an essential question for the EU. China and the EU urgently need to establish a cooperative framework at the technology level to promote better development in the electric vehicle industry, as well as related fields such as the labor market.

I believe that current policies still have shortcomings. Chinese electric vehicles have successfully entered the European market; for instance, in Slovenia, local people were almost entirely unaware of Chinese car brands, but now more and more people are driving electric vehicles produced in China. Therefore, Chinese electric vehicles have every reason to go global, but how to manage this process and achieve balanced development requires joint efforts from enterprises on both sides to establish appropriate cooperation frameworks.

As the former President of Slovenia, I previously drove a Volvo. After living in the US for a long time, I sold the Volvo and bought a Toyota upon returning to Slovenia. In the future, I plan to switch to an electric vehicle, and I will definitely choose a Chinese brand because there are many options available.

The new energy vehicle market has immense potential, and cooperation between China and Europe is the only way forward.

NBD: You mentioned that you plan to switch to an electric vehicle in the future. Are people in Slovenia feeling the pressure from rising oil prices?

Turk: My family and I are not heavily reliant on fuel cars because we live in the city center, and I usually walk to work. However, overall, Slovenia’s reliance on cars is still high, and many people care about whether they can own a car; this situation is unlikely to change in the future. Therefore, we remain very sensitive to oil prices and oil supply.

Although Slovenia has sufficient oil reserves and the government has assured the public not to worry, the people sometimes do not fully believe these statements. It is undeniable that the rise in oil prices has been passed on to consumers. In our country, what is truly concerning is those who need to commute long distances. Many Slovenians live in small towns or rural areas and must drive to work every day, so the rise in oil prices significantly affects them.

Additionally, agricultural production is also highly reliant on fuel; tractors and other agricultural machinery require gasoline and diesel. Farmers are beginning to worry about whether fuel supplies will be sufficient and whether it will affect normal cultivation.

NBD: Based on your statements, Europe has been contemplating energy transformation issues as well. As China and Europe have achieved some results in discussions on electric vehicles this year, how do you view the potential of Chinese new energy vehicles in Europe, including the Slovenian market?

Turk: I am not an expert in the new energy vehicle field, but I can clearly see that the market demand for new energy vehicles in Europe is continuously growing, which is undoubtedly a positive signal and will significantly help address the pressure from rising oil prices on governments and the public. However, the core issue is how to manage the market in a regulated and orderly manner.

Chinese leaders have also emphasized that cooperation must adhere to the principle of mutual benefit. It should benefit China as well as Europe. China and the EU should jointly explore win-win cooperation paths, always aiming for mutual benefit.

It is undeniable that the potential of the new energy vehicle market is enormous. There will inevitably be tendencies of conservatism and exclusivism during the cooperation process, but this is not the correct way to solve problems. I firmly believe that both China and the EU will find reasonable and feasible cooperation solutions in the future.