U.S. Moves to Impose Massive Tariffs on Solar Panels from Southeast Asia

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced on April 22nd, 2025  that it plans to impose tariffs as high as 3,521% on solar panels imported from Southeast Asia, in a significant escalation aimed at countering alleged unfair trade practices by Chinese firms operating in the region.

The proposed tariffs target imports from Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam, and are subject to final approval by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in a June hearing. The decision follows a year-long anti-dumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) investigation initiated in response to complaints from several American and international solar manufacturers.

Companies including Hanwha Qcells, First Solar, and Convalt Energy filed the petition, citing “unfair practices” that they claim have distorted the domestic market, particularly involving Chinese-owned firms operating through Southeast Asian subsidiaries.

“This is the first time the Commerce Department has issued an affirmative determination regarding transnational subsidies in a countervailing duty case,” the Department noted in its statement. “We found that companies in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam received subsidies from the Chinese government.”

If finalized, the new tariffs would add to the broad-based 10% import tax on goods from most U.S. trade partners that was enacted by former President Donald Trump earlier this month.

The breakdown of the proposed tariffs is staggering:

• Up to 3,521% on imports from Cambodia.

• Approx. 40% on JinkoSolar products from Malaysia, and around 245% on its products from Vietnam.

• Trina Solar faces duties of more than 375% on imports from Thailand, and over 200% on shipments from Vietnam.

This latest move signals a return to more aggressive trade protectionism, reminiscent of Trump-era tariffs designed to curb the U.S. trade deficit and bring manufacturing back onshore. While initially suspended to allow for negotiations, many of those tariffs are now being reinforced or expanded.

According to official trade data, the U.S. imported $11.9 billion worth of solar panels from the four targeted Southeast Asian countries in 2023, underscoring the potential impact of the proposed duties on the solar industry and ongoing efforts to accelerate clean energy deployment.

The ITC is expected to deliver its final decision by early June. If approved, the new tariffs could significantly reshape global supply chains for solar energy and inflame trade tensions with both Southeast Asian countries and China.