China’s exports of green-energy and battery products to the United States saw significant growth in May, driven by surging demand from the U.S. artificial intelligence (AI) sector and eased trade tensions between the two countries. According to customs data released recently, shipments of energy-related products from China posted some of the largest gains among all export categories to the U.S. last month.

Unassembled photovoltaic (PV) cells experienced a notable increase, with export value rising 346% year-on-year to nearly $40 million, and shipment volumes climbing 357%. Lithium-ion batteries, among China’s top five export products to the U.S., also grew substantially. Their export value increased by 20.8% to $780 million, with comparable growth in shipment volumes. Lead-acid batteries recorded sharp gains as well, with export values jumping 151% to $6.72 million and shipment volumes growing 253%.

This surge follows May’s summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump—the first visit by a sitting American president to China in almost nine years—which signaled a warming of bilateral relations and set the stage for renewed economic cooperation. The increase in exports also comes amid heightened concerns over energy security, particularly following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route, after tensions escalated with the outbreak of conflict involving the U.S., Israel, and Iran earlier this year.

Experts attribute the export growth to both short-term adjustments and longer-term demand drivers. Xinyi Shen, a senior adviser at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, highlighted that easing trade uncertainties encouraged companies to advance shipments and restock inventories. At the same time, she noted rising electricity demand in the U.S., spurred by AI data center expansion, power grid modernization, and the scaling up of energy storage infrastructure, as key factors sustaining demand for batteries and related products.

China’s position as the world’s second-largest economy, coupled with its robust manufacturing capabilities in clean energy technology, appears to have enhanced its ability to meet the evolving needs of the U.S. market. The growth in exports of photovoltaic cells and energy storage solutions reflects broader global trends toward renewable energy adoption amid geopolitical uncertainties impacting traditional energy supplies.