29 July 2026

China’s policy playbook took its EV sector from zero to hero – can other countries follow?

South China Morning Post  |  Yeon Woo Lee

China’s electric vehicle (EV) sector has rapidly scaled from infancy to global dominance, establishing a highly integrated supply chain that emerging economies now seek to replicate. This green industrial transition offers developing nations a pathway to bypass traditional automotive manufacturing, leveraging external technology and components to kick-start their domestic EV production capabilities.

Historically, Beijing fostered this rapid expansion through targeted state subsidies, infrastructure investments, and favorable regulatory frameworks that nurtured domestic champions. As Western nations erect trade barriers against these exports, developing countries in Southeast Asia and Latin America are actively positioning themselves as alternative manufacturing hubs. By integrating into the dominant supply chains, these nations aim to secure critical mineral processing and battery assembly facilities. However, replicating this state-led model remains challenging due to the immense capital requirements and infrastructure deficits facing emerging markets. Ultimately, the global dispersion of EV production will likely deepen technological dependencies on Chinese components, even as manufacturing physically relocates to avoid geopolitical tariffs.

Comment
The concentration of the global electric vehicle supply chain in China exposes severe vulnerabilities for Western military modernisation efforts that rely on commercial battery advancements. Tactical electrification, including the hybrid-electric Oshkosh eJLTV, depends on mineral processing pipelines dominated by Beijing. This industrial bottleneck limits the rate at which allied forces can scale next-generation silent-watch capabilities. Consequently, Beijing's commercial hegemony over battery cell production functions as an asymmetric lever, capable of throttling military energy storage manufacturing during a crisis.

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