Washington accuses Chinese companies of circumventing its tariffs

Chinese solar panel manufacturers are seeking to evade US tariffs by carrying out final assembly in other Asian countries. A Commerce Department investigation reveals these circumvention practices and highlights efforts to maintain the integrity of trade rules.

Partagez:

Several Chinese solar panel manufacturers are seeking to circumvent the tariffs imposed by Washington on products made in China by carrying out final assembly in other countries in the region, the Department of Commerce (DoC) said on Friday.

Solar industry: Investigation reveals circumvention of US tariffs

In June 2022, the White House announced that it would suspend tariffs on certain solar panel parts imported from four Asian countries for two years, although this did not apply to products from China.

The stated aim of this decision is to enable American manufacturers to increase their production by ensuring a “reliable supply of components”, according to Washington at the time.

But according to a DoC survey, Chinese manufacturers are carrying out the final assembly of their products in these four countries – Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand – in order to benefit from this suspension of customs duties.

“At least five companies attempted to avoid paying duties by conducting minor operations in another country. The Department also identified other companies, not the subject of the investigation, that were also circumventing the duties,” the US department detailed in a statement.

The outcome of the investigation, however, will have “no immediate impact at the border”, the DoC added, “in order to give importers time to adapt their supply chains and ensure that it does not come from companies violating U.S. law”.

Nevertheless, the investigation “underscores the Department’s commitment to holding China accountable for practices that distort competition and hurt U.S. businesses, markets and workers”.

The investigation was launched at the beginning of June, at the same time as the decision to suspend customs duties on products from these four countries. However, as early as June 2022, the Commerce Department made it clear that the conclusion of this investigation would not lead to a decision during the 24 months of tariff suspension.

According to the 2025 report on global energy access, despite notable progress in renewable energy, insufficient targeted financing continues to hinder electricity and clean cooking access, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
While advanced economies maintain global energy leadership, China and the United States have significantly progressed in the security and sustainability of their energy systems, according to the World Economic Forum's annual report.
On the sidelines of the US–Africa summit in Luanda, Algiers and Luanda consolidate their energy collaboration to better exploit their oil, gas, and mining potential, targeting a common strategy in regional and international markets.
The UK's Climate Change Committee is urging the government to quickly reduce electricity costs to facilitate the adoption of heat pumps and electric vehicles, judged too slow to achieve the set climate targets.
The European Commission will extend until the end of 2030 an expanded state-aid framework, allowing capitals to fund low-carbon technologies and nuclear power to preserve competitiveness against China and the United States.
Japan's grid operator forecasts an energy shortfall of up to 89 GW by 2050 due to rising demand from semiconductor manufacturing, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence technologies.
Energy-intensive European industries will be eligible for temporary state aid to mitigate high electricity prices, according to a new regulatory framework proposed by the European Commission under the "Clean Industrial Deal."
Mauritius seeks international investors to swiftly build a floating power plant of around 100 MW, aiming to secure the national energy supply by January 2026 and address current production shortfalls.
Madrid announces immediate energy storage measures while Lisbon secures its electrical grid, responding to the historic outage that affected the entire Iberian Peninsula in late April.
Indonesia has unveiled its new national energy plan, projecting an increase of 69.5 GW in electricity capacity over ten years, largely funded by independent producers, to address rapidly rising domestic demand.
French Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher condemns the parliamentary moratorium on new renewable energy installations, warning of the potential loss of 150,000 industrial jobs and increased energy dependence on foreign countries.
The European battery regulation, fully effective from August 18, significantly alters industrial requirements related to electric cars and bicycles, imposing strict rules on recycling, supply chains, and transparency for companies.
The European Parliament calls on the Commission to strengthen energy infrastructure and accelerate the implementation of the Clean Industrial Deal to enhance the continent's energy flexibility and security amid increased market volatility.
The European Commission unveils an ambitious plan to modernize electricity grids and introduces the Clean Industrial Deal, mobilizing hundreds of billions of euros to strengthen the continent's industrial and energy autonomy.
In the United States, regulated electric grid operators hold a decisive advantage in connecting new data centres to the grid, now representing 134 GW of projects, according to a Wood Mackenzie report published on June 19.
The French National Assembly approves a specific target of 200 TWh renewable electricity production by 2030 within a legislative text extensively debated about the future national energy mix.
In 2024, US CO₂ emissions remain stable at 5.1bn tonnes, as the Trump administration prepares hydrocarbon-friendly energy policies, raising questions about the future evolution of the American market.
The early publication of France's energy decree triggers strong parliamentary reactions, as the government aims to rapidly secure investments in nuclear and other energy sectors.
Seven weeks after the major Iberian power outage, Spain identifies technical network failures, while the European Investment Bank approves major funding to strengthen the interconnection with France.
The European Union has announced a detailed schedule aiming to definitively halt Russian gas imports by the end of 2027, anticipating internal legal and commercial challenges to overcome.