The U.S. tariff stick strikes again at photovoltaics, with tariffs on silicon wafers and polysilicon raised to 50%, effective from 2025

On December 11, 2024, local time, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued a statement announcing that after a four-year review by the Biden administration, the U.S. will begin to increase import tariffs on solar (5.140, 0.00, 0.00%) silicon wafers, polysilicon, and certain tungsten products imported from China starting early next year. Specifically, the tariff rate on solar polysilicon and silicon wafers will be raised to 50%. The tariff rate on certain tungsten products will be increased to 25%. These tariff adjustments will take effect on January 1, 2025. In recent years, the global photovoltaic industry has been booming, with China standing out as a leader, achieving significant accomplishments in technological innovation and occupying an important position in the global market. However, with the rise of China's photovoltaic industry, U.S. domestic photovoltaic manufacturers have felt immense competitive pressure, prompting the U.S. government to frequently wield the tariff stick against Chinese photovoltaic products, implementing a series of stringent trade barrier measures in hopes of enhancing the competitiveness of domestic producers and protecting the U.S. photovoltaic industry from the impact of foreign cheap supplies. This has not only brought unprecedented challenges to Sino-U.S. photovoltaic trade but has also had far-reaching effects on the supply chain and market structure of the global photovoltaic industry. It is understood that the U.S. tariff policy on Chinese photovoltaic products is primarily aimed at protecting its own photovoltaic industry and investing in the clean energy economy