“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 Huai Shui Every editor | Liao Dan

In recent days, the US-Iran war has escalated, triggering a surge in global energy prices and impacting the global economy.

During the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026, NBD (NBD) interviewed former Slovenian President Turk and former New Zealand Prime Minister Shipley. Slovenia is a member of the European Union 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 UN and IMF (International Monetary Fund).

Both former leaders from developed nations expressed deep concerns over the rising energy prices due to the current tensions in the Middle East, emphasizing the urgent need for energy transition and highly recognizing China’s global leadership in the fields of photovoltaics and new energy vehicles.

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

AI’s demand for energy is growing exponentially, necessitating more exploration in the photovoltaics field

NBD: How do you view the impact of the US-Iran war on the global energy landscape? Will it accelerate the process of global decarbonization?

Shipley: Due to the situation in the Middle East, there is widespread concern about the continuous rise in energy prices. What I am more concerned about 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 consume a large amount of electricity, and in the future, quantum computing will lead to exponentially and doubly increased energy demand. Countries are competing to attract data centers, further pushing up energy prices.

We see that China has made breakthroughs not only in new energy technologies like nuclear power but is also a global leader in solar technology. Many countries, including New Zealand, are using Chinese technology to build solar power stations. New energy provides a new energy supply and is highly aligned with sustainable development, which is crucial for the future energy landscape.

It is undeniable that the current rise in energy prices has made it difficult for governments and people in some countries to cope. 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 China’s economic and social development has brought more electricity and energy consumption, but at the same time, its innovative capacity in new energy is also strong, resulting in a relatively balanced overall development. Thus, against the backdrop of turbulence in the international energy landscape, we hope to hear more voices from China and see more Chinese solutions.

Turk: Regarding the rise in oil prices, this is a situation that everyone wishes to avoid, and it fundamentally should not be this way; it is essentially a significant mistake. The rise in oil prices is a negative consequence of the military actions taken by the US and Israel against Iran. The chaos and turmoil in the Middle East is something the whole world does not want 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 photovoltaics and renewable energy, the world’s reliance on oil remains very high, so caution must be exercised regarding energy issues.

China is a global leader in photovoltaics, both in terms of production capacity of photovoltaic products and the practical application level of photovoltaic technology, which are at the forefront of the world. I have personally conducted field investigations, such as visiting 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 and protects northern Chinese cities. 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 the cooperation and application of photovoltaic products, coordinating their respective domestic production capacities, and both sides need to further discuss production capacity issues.

China is currently significantly enhancing the scale of new energy utilization, actively developing photovoltaics, wind power, and other types of new energy. In the current energy situation, this is a necessary task, and China and Europe should work together to clarify the actual needs for photovoltaic products.

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

NBD: The Middle Eastern crisis has led to a rise in international oil prices. What considerations do you have regarding your country’s energy security?

Shipley: New Zealand’s economy currently relies heavily on exports. Our country has a population of only about 5 million, and the products we produce far exceed our domestic needs, with a vast amount of products exported worldwide. Therefore, supply chains are crucial for us, especially fuel supply, which is a top priority for New Zealand.

The rise in international crude oil prices has led to increased gasoline and diesel prices domestically, significantly impacting low- to middle-income households in New Zealand. In response, the government has launched a “supplementary payment” program to provide subsidies for related households for one year, helping them cope with the pressure of rising fuel prices. Following the tensions in the Middle East, fuel costs have further risen, making such subsidies essential for maintaining the daily lives of the public.

At the same time, we are also collaborating with global partners to stabilize supply chains. Regarding the Middle East issue, although New Zealand’s stance is relatively low-profile, we have consistently voiced responsibly, urging all parties to remain calm, strengthen cooperation, and jointly seek solutions.

NBD: You just mentioned that the Middle Eastern energy crisis has made everyone aware of the importance of energy transition. For the EU, including your country, is energy transition a “must-answer question”?

Turk: First of all, it must be clarified that the EU needs not only the service and agricultural sectors but also 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 center for manufacturing cooperation and market for China, so China and the EU should focus not only on competition but also on policy coordination and cooperation.

During my visit to China, I strongly felt that the development momentum of electric vehicles in China is robust, and it has tremendous potential not only in China but also in Europe. Therefore, energy transition is a must-answer question for the EU. China and Europe urgently need to establish a technological cooperation framework to promote the better development of the electric vehicle industry, while also driving the development of related fields such as the labor market.

I believe that the current policies still have shortcomings. Chinese electric vehicles have successfully entered the European market. For example, in Slovenia, local people were almost unaware of Chinese car brands in the past, 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 the joint efforts of enterprises from both China and Europe to establish appropriate cooperation frameworks.

As a 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 after returning to Slovenia. In the future, I plan to switch to an electric vehicle and will certainly choose a Chinese brand, because there are many models to choose from.

The potential of the new energy vehicle market is enormous, and China-Europe cooperation is the only way forward

NBD: You just mentioned that you plan to switch to an electric vehicle in the future. In Slovenia, do people feel the pressure from rising oil prices?

Turk: My family and I actually do not rely heavily on fuel cars, as we live in the city center and I usually walk to work. However, overall, Slovenia still has a high dependence on cars, and many people care about whether they can own a car, which is unlikely to change in the future. Therefore, we are still very sensitive to oil prices and oil supplies.

Although Slovenia has ample oil reserves and the government assures people not to worry, the public does not always fully believe such statements. It is undeniable that the rise in oil prices has been passed on to consumers. In our country, what really concerns people are those who need to commute long distances. Many Slovenians live in small towns or rural areas and must drive to work early and late daily, so the rise in oil prices greatly affects them.

Additionally, agricultural production highly relies on fuel, with tractors and other agricultural machinery needing gasoline and diesel, and farmers are also beginning to worry about whether fuel supplies will be sufficient, which could impact normal farming.

NBD: According to your statement, Europe has been contemplating energy transition issues. With some outcomes achieved in China-Europe 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 continues to grow, which is undoubtedly a positive signal and will largely address the pressures brought by rising oil prices on governments and people. But the core issue is how to regulate and manage the market in an orderly manner.

Chinese leaders have also emphasized multiple times that cooperation should adhere to mutual benefit and win-win principles. It should benefit both China and Europe, and China and Europe should jointly explore win-win cooperation paths, always aiming for win-win outcomes.

Undeniably, the potential of the new energy vehicle market is enormous. Inevitably, conservative and exclusionary tendencies will arise during the cooperation process, but this is by no means the correct way to solve the problem. I firmly believe that both China and Europe will definitely find reasonable and feasible cooperation solutions in the future.