Ningde rises as global lithium battery powerhouse

Ningde, a coastal city in Fujian province, reported that output from its lithium battery and stainless steel industrial clusters surpassed 300 billion yuan ($43.06 billion) and 240 billion yuan in 2025 respectively. Starting from scratch, the city, named "China's New Energy Battery Capital", cemented its position as the world's largest production base for polymer lithium-ion batteries.

That shift began in 2011, when Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL), a leading lithium-ion battery maker, was founded, yet the city lacked supporting manufacturers for key battery materials. Local authorities and leading firms moved to expand the supply chain, attracting projects in cathode and anode materials, coated separators, electrolytes, battery components, and intelligent equipment manufacturing.

By the end of 2025, Ningde had established a comprehensive industrial ecosystem. CATL's production bases in the city now have a total capacity of 330 gigawatt-hours (GWh), with another 170 GWh under construction or planned. More than 90 upstream and downstream companies have clustered locally, enabling one-stop production spanning raw materials, research and development, and manufacturing.

Throughout the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), Ningde maintained its spot among China's top 100 cities for advanced manufacturing. Its power battery cluster was also designated a national advanced manufacturing cluster, underscoring the city's growing role in China's high-end manufacturing landscape.