This article examines the evolution of China’s foreign policy strategy in the energy sector against the backdrop of Western consolidation and expanding sanctions pressure on Global South countries. It explores the mechanisms through which China leverages Western sanctions to enhance its own energy security and shape an alternative international relations architecture. Particular attention is paid to the impact of Western sanctions imposed on Global South states on China’s foreign policy planning. The paper argues that China perceives these restrictions not as a threat but as an opportunity to import energy resources at below-market prices and strengthen its geopolitical infl uence. It concludes by suggesting the emergence of a dual-circuit global energy system, in which economic rationality is subordinated to geopolitical priorities.