중국 배터리 기업의 경쟁력 분석을 통한 IRA 우회전략 연구

초록

This study investigates the determinants of the IRA entry barriers of Chinese battery companies that have recently used Korea as a strategic production base in response to the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) regulations, including GEM, Ronbay, Huayou, and CNGR. First, as a result of analyzing the competitiveness of Chinese battery companies by applying the diamond model, it was confirmed that these companies are making strategic choices to respond to the US IRA regulations by demonstrating strengths in factor conditions (resource acquisition and technological prowess), demand conditions (growth of the global electric vehicle market), related and supporting industries (expansion of the battery and raw material supply chain), and corporate strategy, structure, and competition (vertical integration and establishment of overseas production bases). Next, by applying the industrial organization theory, the bypass strategies adopted by Chinese battery companies to evade the IRA regulations were analyzed from the perspectives of structural, strategic, and institutional entry barriers. First, to bypass structural entry barriers, Chinese companies are utilizing the production networks of FTA partner countries by procuring raw materials from Indonesia, Africa, etc., and processing battery materials in Korea and Europe. Second, to respond to strategic entry barriers, Chinese companies are expanding their production bases through joint ventures or direct investments with Korean and European battery companies and are increasing their market share by strengthening cooperation with global automakers. Third, to overcome institutional entry barriers, they are pursuing a strategy of producing core battery materials in Korea and Europe and being recognized as “non-Chinese,” thereby securing tax credit benefits in the United States. The results of this study suggest that Korea is being used as a strategic base in the global battery supply chain. It is necessary to devise a strategic response plan that effectively utilizes risks that will arise in an environment where IRA regulations continuously change while providing opportunities for domestic battery companies to strengthen supply chain stability and market competitiveness through cooperation with Chinese companies. This study will contribute to deriving cooperation models and policy implications between Korean and Chinese companies in the global battery market in the future.

키워드