US imposes 15% polysilicon tariff and price floors
SCMP · 2 SOURCESabout 12 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The US government has announced a 15 per cent tariff and a minimum import price programme for polysilicon-related products, marking a new trade intervention in materials critical to solar panels and semiconductors . President Donald Trump signed the order on Thursday, and the tariff will take effect after 120 days as Washington seeks to reduce reliance on China-dominated supply chains .
Key Points
- Trump signed a proclamation and executive order on Thursday in Washington to impose a 15 per cent tariff on polysilicon products .
- The tariff will begin after a 120-day delay, alongside minimum import prices designed to shield US manufacturers from low-priced imports .
- Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the policy aims to stop Chinese dumping and push companies to build supply chains inside the United States .
- The measure followed a Section 232 national security investigation launched by the Commerce Department in July 2025 into polysilicon and derivative imports .
- China produced more than 90 per cent of global polysilicon output in 2024, while US production capacity fell from 50 per cent in 2005 to under 2 per cent .
Why It Matters
Polysilicon is a foundational input for both semiconductors and solar panels, so the US move links trade policy directly to industrial strategy and national security concerns . The measure also signals a sharper challenge to China’s dominance in upstream clean-energy and chip materials, with possible repercussions for pricing, sourcing and bilateral trade tensions .