Chinese State-Led Energy Model vs. Western Privatized Power Grids: Which is more efficient for industry?

Answer

While Western models may be more "efficient" at generating short-term shareholder returns, Munawar argues that the **Chinese state-led model is more efficient for national industrialization.**

The core impacts are:

• Socialized Costs: By socializing the cost of grid expansion, China allows its private sector to compete globally with lower energy overhead.
• Investment Horizon: The state model can fund 50-year infrastructure projects, whereas privatized grids often stall due to 5-year ROI requirements.
• Grid Modernization: China's top-down approach has led to faster ultra-high-voltage deployment compared to the fragmented Western grids.

In short: The Western model seeks a **dividend**, while the Chinese model seeks **global industrial dominance.**