US imposes import duties on solar panel makers evading tariffs via southeast Asia

• The United States has officially announced its decision to impose import duties on solar panel manufacturers who complete their products in Southeast Asian countries to evade tariffs on Chinese-made goods.
• The move, which aligns with a preliminary finding from December, has generated opposition from solar panel buyers who rely on affordable overseas products for competitive projects.
• The decision brings positive implications for the small-scale US solar manufacturing sector, which has long struggled to compete against Chinese products.

The United States on Friday finalized a decision to impose import duties on solar panel makers who finished their products in Southeast Asian nations to avoid tariffs on Chinese-made goods, according to a senior Commerce Department official.

The decision, which largely mirrors a preliminary finding the agency made in December, was opposed by buyers of solar panels that rely on cheap products made overseas to make their projects competitive.

But it is good…