BYD rapidly expands in Southeast Asia as regional leaders highlight energy security

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD is experiencing rapid expansion in Southeast Asian countries, as regional leaders at the annual ASEAN Summit pledged to strengthen energy resilience, accelerate investments in renewable energy, and fast-track the adoption of EVs to shield their economies from further shocks.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is sending shockwaves through Southeast Asia's transportation sector, as rising fuel prices cut into drivers' incomes and increase commuting costs for millions of people.

The deepening oil shock is adding pressure on the governments across the region, as they work to contain the economic impact. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states still depend on imported crude oil for nearly two-thirds of its supply, leaving member states highly vulnerable to global energy disruptions.

Speaking at the 48th ASEAN Summit held in the Philippine province of Cebu, Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos urged member states to "strengthen coordination and reinforce preparedness, pursue practical collective measures to safeguard a stable energy supply and improve interconnectivity," while "advancing alternative and renewable energy sources" to protect regional economy from further shocks.

ASEAN leaders are now moving to diversify energy sources, strengthen regional energy trade, and accelerate investment in renewable energy.

Part of that transition is already taking shape on the roads. Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD is rapidly expanding across Southeast Asia, as consumers look for alternatives amid rising fuel prices.

The shift to EVs reflects a broader transformation taking place across the region. As fuel prices continue to rise, companies like BYD are gaining momentum across ASEAN nations, offering alternatives that could reshape transportation and energy consumption in the years ahead.

In the Philippines, a company says demand for its electric and hybrid vehicles is rising, as higher pump prices push more drivers to seek out cheaper alternatives.

"More and more people [are] seriously considering the new energy vehicle as a solution for their family, for their daily commute, because our BYD vehicles, we have DMI which is a super hybrid system, and we also have battery electric vehicles," said Adam Hu, country head of BYD Philippines.

March data from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines and the Truck Manufacturers Association showed a sharp rise in EV sales as fuel prices continue to climb. Plug-in hybrid vehicle sales surged by more than 600 percent, while battery electric vehicle sales increased by nearly 80 percent.

Beyond electric vehicles, BYD has also expanded into solar energy and battery storage, underscoring China's growing role in Southeast Asia's transition toward cleaner energy.

Energy security initiatives discussed during the summit include expanding the ASEAN Power Grid, developing cross-border submarine power cable networks, and establishing a regional petroleum-sharing mechanism aimed at strengthening long-term energy resilience.

"One of the priority [of] economic deliverables also is the regional implementation of our action plan on investments, particularly on green projects, so this means that it will fast track or facilitate the transition to green economy," said Allan Gepty, the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary and also the Philippine ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Council Minister.

The projects are expected to boost investment in renewable energy, electric vehicle manufacturing, and regional fuel logistics, as ASEAN moves to protect the region from future oil price shocks and supply disruptions.

Established in 1967, the ASEAN includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor-Leste which joined the group at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia last October.

BYD rapidly expands in Southeast Asia as regional leaders highlight energy security

China's traditional building materials industry accelerated its structural optimization amid headwinds in the first quarter of this year, with green development emerging as a core growth engine.

As the traditional building materials industry steps up its green transformation, a cumulative total of 29.8 million tons of low-efficiency production capacity has been phased out, reversing the decline of capacity utilization, industry data showed.

The industry of advanced inorganic non-metallic materials, represented by photovoltaic glass, glass fiber and its products, experienced rapid growth. Demand for photovoltaic glass accounted for nearly 50 percent of total flat glass demand, and the total profit of the industry of glass fiber and its products surged by 130 percent year on year.

Meanwhile, green building materials recorded growth in both volume and profitability. By the end of the first quarter, China's certified green building materials increased by 5 percent compared with the end of 2025, and the industry's total profits grew 16.2 percent year on year.

"Ten government departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, have jointly issued an implementation plan for high-quality development of the green building materials industry, guiding the green transition of the sector. In the first quarter of the year, the total revenue of the green building materials industry exceeded 61.1 billion yuan (about 8.99 billion U.S. dollars), maintaining a rapid growth of 12 percent and laying a solid foundation for achieving the annual revenue target of 300 billion yuan," said Yan Xiaofeng, president of the China Building Materials Federation.

China’s traditional building materials industry speeds up green transition in Q1