China slaps duties on US, S. Korea solar materials

China issued preliminary anti-dumping duties on solar-grade polysilicon imports from the US and South Korea on Thursday, products widely used in the production of solar panels, Reuters reported. The decision from China’s Commerce Ministry levies duties of 53.3-57% on US polysilicon and 2.4-48.7% on South Korean exports. The Ministry has yet to make a decision on EU exporters of the solar material. Beijing’s move, a widely expected blow for US and South Korean producers, coincides with difficult talks between the EU and China to defuse a conflict over alleged dumping of Chinese solar panels in Europe.