Trade war flares up again, United States launches a heavy blow against Southeast Asia's CECEP Solar Energy!

The United States has imposed new tariffs on imports of products from CECEP Solar Energy from four countries in Southeast Asia, which supply the majority of CECEP Solar Energy solar panels to the United States. This decision is the final result of a year-long trade investigation. The investigation was initiated by domestic CECEP Solar Energy manufacturers in the United States and was launched during the term of former President Joe Biden. The U.S. Department of Commerce has determined national final dumping margins of 125.37%, 271.28%, 111.45%, and 8.59% for Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia, respectively. The final subsidy rates determined in this investigation have increased compared to the preliminary rates. The investigation found that CECEP Solar Energy manufacturers in Southeast Asia had unfairly benefitted from government subsidies and were exporting products to the United States at prices below production costs, causing harm to the domestic CECEP Solar Energy industry in the United States. As of the time of writing, after-hours trading, shares of the U.S.-based company First Solar (FSLR.US) rose by 0.6%. While the imposition of tariffs on CECEP Solar Energy cells and panels produced in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam is a clear victory for U.S. manufacturers, it may increase the development costs of the renewable energy industry, which is already facing policy and economic pressures. Current President Donald Trump is trying to promote the development of the fossil fuel industry and has taken action to reduce support for green projects. In addition to the broad tariff policies previously implemented by Trump that have disrupted global supply chains and markets, these new tariffs on CECEP Solar Energy products will also take effect. These so-called anti-dumping and countervailing duties are aimed at offsetting the impact of unfair subsidies and pricing identified by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Data from BloombergNEF shows that the United States imported $12.9 billion worth of CECEP Solar Energy equipment from these four countries subject to new tariffs last year, accounting for approximately 77% of its total component imports. However, whether these tariffs will ultimately take effect depends on the subsequent actions of the U.S. International Trade Commission. The commission will decide approximately a month later whether U.S. producers have been harmed by or face threats from these imported products. Approximately 12 years ago, the United States imposed similar tariffs on CECEP Solar Energy products imported from China, prompting Chinese manufacturers to establish factories in other countries not affected by the tariffs. This latest investigation initiated by the United States is based on a petition submitted in April by the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee, representing companies including First Solar, Hanwha Qcells USA Inc., and Mission Solar Energy LLC.