China’s BYD Has Three Southeast Asian Countries Vying for Factory

(Bloomberg) — The Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia are competing to host an electric-vehicle (EV) assembly plant for BYD Co. Ltd., the world’s second-largest maker of EVs, according to a top Philippine trade and investment official.

The Chinese auto giant is in an “advanced stage of discussions” with the Philippines, the Southeast Asian nation’s Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said in an interview on Wednesday. BYD representatives scoured the Philippines for possible factory sites during a visit late last year and the company may decide on the site during the second quarter, said Rodolfo, who also heads the Board of Investments.