Facing headwinds from trade protectionism and a slowing global economy, Chinese manufacturers are driving industrial upgrades to sharpen their edges, with tech-intensive green products gaining increasing traction in emerging markets.

Exporters noted that rapid urbanization and industrialization were boosting the demand for advanced electromechanical solutions. As a result, many Chinese firms are actively expanding beyond traditional Western markets, capitalizing on initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative to strengthen their footholds and unlock new consumer opportunities.

Risen Energy Co Ltd, a Ningbo, Zhejiang province-based solar cell and module maker, has been heading in that direction. It sealed a deal with Brazil's MTR Solar Group to jointly develop 1 gigawatt-hour of battery energy storage system solutions last month, further enhancing their ties in the Latin American market.

"In the past, our exports were primarily focused on the United States and Southeast Asia. However, with increasing tariff threats, we have been actively expanding our international sales network and have established numerous partnerships in regions and countries such as Eastern Europe, Latin America and Australia," said Tian Ye, Risen Energy's head of logistics.

The Chinese company's exports of energy storage products reached 50 million yuan ($6.9 million) in the first two months of this year, jumping 870 percent year-on-year, data from Ningbo Customs showed.

Liaoning province-based Shenyang Yuanda Aluminium Industry Engineering Co Ltd, a producer of curtain walls for buildings, is also capitalizing on such a trend. Its workers are actively engaged across multiple workshops, manufacturing PV curtain walls and intelligent shading equipment to fulfill orders from Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, ensuring timely delivery.

The company's newly signed contracts surpassed 1 billion yuan between January and February, reflecting a 35 percent year-on-year increase. Among them, international orders totaled 700 million yuan, with products mainly exported to Mongolia, the United Kingdom and Qatar, according to Shenyang Customs.

"To establish a strong foothold in the global market, we have integrated high-efficiency solar cell technology into our PV curtain walls, ensuring both functional performance and energy efficiency for buildings," said Pei Tong, the company's president of international marketing branch, adding that its products are now used in more than 140 countries and regions.

As many emerging economies undergo rapid urbanization, driving increased infrastructure projects, smart city initiatives and industrial expansion, high-end mechanical and electrical products — such as intelligent manufacturing equipment and renewable energy solutions — have become essential for modernizing these sectors, said Yuan Bo, a researcher specializing in foreign trade at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation in Beijing.

Moreover, excessive reliance on developed markets could expose Chinese exporters to geopolitical risks, prompting a strategic shift toward market diversification, Yuan said.

Despite protectionist moves and the disruption of global supply chains, the US reliance on goods from China has not substantially decreased to date, according to the DHL Trade Atlas 2025, a report that features insights and analysis on global trade growth trends and prospects, released last week.

The study, published by DHL Group, a German logistics services provider, and New York University's Stern School of Business, said Made-in-China products have found new routes to the US. The share of US imports coming directly from China continues to fall, but US reliance on Made-in-China content has not declined much. US imports from other countries contain more inputs from China, and US direct imports from China may be underreported.

Even if all tariff increases proposed by the US government are implemented and countries retaliate in return, global trade is forecast to continue to expand — but at a much slower pace, said the DHL report.