The article is devoted to theoretical bases of research of energy problems from the point of view of its influence on the internal and external strategy of states. The research task of analysing the evolution of energy from a purely economic factor, into a political factor - the struggle for national interests taking into account the global and regional context. The object of research is international relations in the energy sector. The subject of the study is the formation of elements of a possible «competitive field» in the political and energy sphere of the Russian Federation - People’s Republic of China in the Central Asian region. In the course of the research, the author used the conceptual-categorical apparatus of the theory of international relations, economics and political science and the method of comparative analysis, which made it possible to trace the similarities and differences in the understanding of Western theories and Chinese approaches. In particular, the author considers the understanding of power / influence practiced in Western approaches as an aspiration for direct and power geopolitical control, which in Chinese transcription is understood as a limited, natural, precisely dosed, directed impact on key points of regions and countries, states and social systems. With regard to the analysis of international relations in the energy sector, a key role is given to the interests of states seeking to maximize access to energy resources (their countries porters), or the most favorable conditions for the realization of their energy resources in world markets (exporting countries). The author comes to the conclusion that at the present stage of the development of international relations, the so-called. The «power arsenal» of states has significantly expanded. The author turns to the little-studied problem of determining the nature and mechanisms of the influence of international political factors on the process of realizing the energy (hydrocarbon) interests of Russia and China in Central Asia.