America's imports of solar supplies, meanwhile, have tripled since Washington began imposing its tariffs in 2012, hitting a record $15 billion last year, according to federal data. While almost none came directly from China in 2023, some 80% came from Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia – home to factories owned by Chinese firms.
Washington slapped tariffs on solar exports from those four Southeast Asia nations last year and expanded them in October following complaints from manufacturers in the United States.
Over the last 18 months, at least four Chinese or China-linked projects have begun operations in Indonesia and Laos, and another two have been announced. Together, the projects total 22.9 gigawatts (GW) in solar cell or panel capacity.
Much of that production will be sold in the United States, the world's second-biggest solar market after China and one of the most lucrative. U.S. prices have on average been 40% higher than those in China over the past four years, according to data from PVinsights.
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The most immediate visible impact of the latest U.S. tariffs, which have brought total duties to more than 300% for some producers, has been in Vietnam's solar sector.
In August, Reuters visited industrial parks in northern Vietnam owned by Chinese-owned companies including Longi and Trina Solar, and spoke with workers.
In Bac Giang province, hundreds of workers at a large factory complex owned by Longi Green Energy Technology's (601012.SS), opens new tab Vinasolar unit lost their jobs this year, two employees with knowledge of the matter said.
The company was using just one of nine production lines in the industrial park, one of them said.
In Thai Nguyen, another province, Trina Solar (688599.SS), opens new tab has idled one of its two factories making solar cells and panels, two employees there said.
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