US Could Slap 165% Trade Duties On Chinese Solar

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The US Department of Commerce has been deliberating over imposing duties on Chinese and Taiwanese solar PV imports for over half the year, but on Tuesday the Department finally announced its decision to penalize all Chinese shipments at a base rate of 165%, which could see duties jump past 200% in some cases.

Specifics of the announcement are below, but the news has not been welcomed by the US Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), so let’s first see what it has to say.

Rhone Resch, the president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association released the following statement in response to the Department of Commerce’s announcement:

“Unfortunately, today’s ill-advised and unprecedented decision will harm many and benefit few. We remain steadfast in our opposition because of the adverse impact punitive tariffs will have on the future progress of America’s solar energy industry. It’s time to end this costly dispute, and we’ll continue to do our part to help find a win-win solution.”

A “China-Wide Rate” of 165% has been set in place for all Chinese shipments, with company-specific rates to be added on top of that (see below). Taiwan got off somewhat easier, with only three company-specific regulations to abide by.

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The chart below is from the Fact Sheet provided by the Department of Commerce, outlining the Chinese anti-dumping margins:

And for Taiwan:

All of this is reliant upon the US International Trade Commission (ITC) issuing a final affirmative injury determination. If the ITC returns a negative, “the relevant investigations will be terminated and no producers or exporters will be subject to future cash deposits for either AD or CVD duties, as applicable” and “all cash deposits already collected will be refunded.”