The US Commerce Division has introduced plans to impose tariffs of as much as 3,521% on imports of photo voltaic panels from 4 South East Asian international locations.
It comes after an investigation that started a yr in the past when a number of main photo voltaic gear producers requested then-President Joe Biden administration to guard their US operations.
The proposed levies – concentrating on firms in Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam – are in response to allegations of subsidies from China and the dumping of unfairly low-cost merchandise within the US market.
A separate US authorities company, the Worldwide Commerce Fee, is because of attain a closing choice on the brand new tariffs in June.
The countervailing and anti-dumping duties, as these tariffs are recognized, differ between firms and the international locations their merchandise are made in.
Some photo voltaic gear exporters in Cambodia face the very best duties of three,521% due to what was seen as an absence of cooperation with the Commerce Division investigation.
Merchandise made in Malaysia by Chinese language producer Jinko Photo voltaic confronted among the lowest duties of simply over 41%.
One other China-based agency, Trina Photo voltaic, faces tariffs of 375% for the merchandise it makes in Thailand.
Neither firm instantly responded to requests for remark from BBC Information.
Lately, many Chinese language companies have moved operations to South East Asia in a bid to keep away from tariffs imposed because the begin of US President Donald Trump’s first time period.
The US Commerce Division’s findings have been welcomed by the American Alliance for Photo voltaic Manufacturing Commerce Committee – a bunch of producers that referred to as on the US authorities to launch the investigation.
“This can be a decisive victory for American manufacturing and confirms what we have lengthy recognized: that Chinese language-headquartered photo voltaic firms have been dishonest the system,” mentioned Tim Brightbill, lead counsel to the Alliance.
In 2023, America imported virtually $12bn (£8.9bn) in photo voltaic gear from the 4 international locations, based on US Census Bureau figures.
Whereas the deliberate tariffs are probably to assist US photo voltaic panel producers, they may additionally imply further prices for companies and shoppers who’ve benefited from the supply of cheaper photo voltaic merchandise.
The levies can be imposed on prime of different tariffs already rolled out by the Trump administration.
They deliberate tariffs have been introduced simply days after Chinese language President Xi Jinping, accomplished a tour of Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia.
The journey was aimed to spice up ties with the area and encourage these nations to withstand what he referred to as “unilateral bullying” by the US.
Trump has to date imposed taxes of as much as 145% on imports from China. Different international locations at the moment are dealing with a blanket US tariff of 10% till July.
His administration mentioned final week that when the brand new tariffs are added on to present ones, the levies on some Chinese language items may attain 245%.
China has hit again with a 125% tax on merchandise from the US and vowed to “combat to the tip”.
