Instead, I set out to track every battery factory outside China owned by a Chinese company. Entering a New PhaseThe worldwide expansion of Chinese battery factories signifies the country is entering a new phase of manufacturing. When a Chinese Factory Comes to TownHungary is one of the most striking examples of what happens when Chinese battery companies expand abroad. As a result, it also provides an early blueprint for how communities will react when a Chinese battery factory opens up shop in their backyard. Because the Chinese companies announced their investments in drought-prone regions, they were immediately swept into already heated media debates about the limited availability of natural resources.