The rapid expansion of Chinese electric vehicles and related investments in Southeast Asia is no fluke, says Intellisia Institute's Xirui Li.
China’s attention to the technology of new energy vehicles can be dated back to as early as the 1990s, but it was not until 2009 that the development of the EV industry was established as a national strategy. But that remains to be seen. Several factors may determine how far China can capitalise on its EV attraction in the region and thus shape the ASEAN countries’ behaviors.
In addition, how China and Chinese firms can make critical technological breakthroughs, especially in semiconductors for EVs given the chips and chipmaking equipment export restrictions imposed by the United States, may also play a role. Indeed, Chinese EVs have been getting more and more attention abroad. Analysts estimate that Chinese outbound foreign direct investment in EV-related industries is likely to have set a new record high in 2023 and expect Chinese EVs to double their global market share by 2030.