China's lithium-ion battery industry recorded a rapid growth in the first four months of this year, official data has shown.

The total output of lithium-ion batteries in the January-April period surpassed 473 gigawatt-hours (GWh), marking a 68 percent increase year on year, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

During the period, the output of such batteries for power storage exceeded 110 GWh, while the capacity of power batteries installed on new energy vehicles stood at around 184 GWh.

Exports of lithium-ion batteries from January to April reached 155.4 billion yuan (about 21.7 billion U.S. dollars), up 25 percent year on year, according to the ministry.

The lithium-ion battery industry plays a vital part in China's green, low-carbon and sustainable development as the country strives to achieve its carbon reduction goals.