Southeast Asia Emerges as a Crucial Driver of China’s Clean-Tech Exports

Southeast Asian countries have emerged as key drivers of China’s clean-energy export boom, with the region making record purchases of energy storage batteries, grid equipment, electric vehicles and solar power components in 2026.

Countries across ASEAN have spent more than US$20 billion on Chinese-made clean-tech products so far this year, according to energy think tank Ember. This represents a 50% increase from the same period last year, making Southeast Asia the largest market in Asia for Chinese clean-tech products.

The growth spans a broad range of technologies. ASEAN countries have imported around US$4.1 billion of Chinese-made solar panels, nearly 90% more than a year earlier, while spending on energy-storage batteries approached US$7 billion. Grid equipment imports reached around US$1.6 billion, while EV imports totalled approximately US$6.3 billion.

Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam have been among the standout markets, with solar imports from China roughly doubling compared with 2025. Rising electricity demand, industrialisation, urbanisation and investment in renewable energy are driving the region’s growing appetite for clean-energy technologies.

With a population of around 700 million and annual GDP growth of roughly 5%, Southeast Asia is expected to remain an important growth market for clean-energy technologies. The region’s expanding power demand is also creating opportunities for solar, battery storage and grid infrastructure as countries seek to diversify their energy mix and support economic growth.