US May Impose 50% Tariffs on Chinese Cheongjeong Energy Technologies

25% to 50% Increase in Solar Wafer and Others

Major foreign media reported on the 11th that the United States is set to announce plans to impose tariffs of up to 50% on materials related to China's clean energy technology.

The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is expected to announce a plan to double the current tariffs on Chinese-made solar wafers and polysilicon materials to 50%. Tungsten products are expected to be subject to a 25% tariff.

Solar wafers and polysilicon are essential for manufacturing solar cells. Tungsten is used in a wide range of applications, from inorganic materials to computer chips.

The new tariffs are expected to take effect on January 1 of next year, just weeks before Donald Trump takes office at the White House.

Major foreign media pointed out that this tariff increase is part of efforts to protect the rapidly growing solar energy sector in the United States from low-cost Chinese materials. This indicates the U.S. concern over excessive dependence on China for materials critical to energy security and technology.

So far, the U.S. and China have clashed over semiconductor technology and tariffs. In September, the U.S. sharply raised tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles from the existing 25% to 100%. In response, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned during a bilateral meeting with President Biden at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Lima, Peru last month that such actions should not cross the "red line" that harms China's economic development.

Subsequently, on the 9th, China announced an antitrust investigation into Nvidia, a leading U.S. semiconductor company. China also declared controls on U.S. exports of rare minerals used in semiconductor chip production.