China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has launched an investigation into the expiration of anti-dumping duties it imposed in 2014 on solar silicon imports from the United States and South Korea.
MOFCOM said 13 Chinese companies, led by Sichuan Yongxiang Polysilicon, had requested the review, claiming that ending the tariffs could lead to renewed dumping of US and South Korean polysilicon and hurt the domestic industry. As long as the review is ongoing, the obligations remain in force.
China extended tariffs for the first time in 2020 by five years. MOFCOM said the review request and the evidence provided meet the requirements for a final assessment. Initially imposed in 2014, tariffs for U.S. companies ranged from 53.3% to 57%, and for South Korean manufacturers from 2.4% to 48.7%.
In 2017, China adjusted import duties from 4.4% to 113.8%.
The targeted US companies included REC Solar Grade Silicon, Hemlock Semiconductor and AE Polysilicon, many of which no longer produce polysilicon.
China has excluded European polysilicon manufacturers, mainly German producers, from the 2014 tariffs after reaching an agreement with Germany.
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