The US Department of Commerce recently initiated a countervailing duty investigation of whether silicon photovoltaics are assembled into modules from Malaysia or not.
According to reports shared by the ministry, the investigation found that solar cells were from sent to these countries from China. These countries in Southeast Asia are Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam Solar cells completed in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, or Vietnam from a Chinese wafer. Then these solar cells were sent to another inquiry country (Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, or Vietnam) for assembly into a solar module with three or more Chinese components, and the solar module was then exported to the United States.
This case came to light as the solar cells produced with Chinese wafers in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, or Vietnam, that are not assembled into solar modules. These solar cells are completed in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, or Vietnam from a Chinese wafer, and then the solar cells are sent to another inquiry country (Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, or Vietnam) for assembly into a solar module with three or more Chinese components, and the solar module is then exported to the United States.
This point of origin (POI) reported in the study indicated that more than two of the following components in the solar modules were produced in China. These components include silver paste, aluminum frames, glass, back sheets, ethylene vinyl acetate sheets, and junction boxes. The report found that the solar cells produced in the non–Chinese wafers in Malaysia were produced in Malaysia from wafers produced in China.
This solar module consists of solar cells, that were produced with wafers produced outside of China. In this, two or less than two of the following solar modules were produced in China. Some of the following components were produced in China such as (1) Silver paste, (2) aluminum frame (3) glass (4) back sheet, etc.
Moreover, according to the case reported against China, “The solar cells, solar modules, that meet the description are transhipped from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, or Vietnam, to the United States through the third country. According to the case levied against the Chinese company, “Solar cells completed in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, or Vietnam from a Chinese wafer, and then the solar cells are sent to another inquiry country (Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, or Vietnam) for assembly into a solar module with three or more Chinese components, and the solar module is then exported to the United States.”
Furthermore, the case levied against the Chinese company, “Solar cells made in Malaysia, even if made from wafers from China, that are then exported to a non-inquiry country and further assembled into solar modules. Only include these sales in the chart below if you knew that the cells made in Malaysia were destined for the United States at the time they were exported to the non-inquiry country.”
In this case, “Solar cells made in Malaysia, even if made from wafers from China, are then exported to a non-inquiry country and further assembled into solar modules. Only include these sales in the chart below if you knew that the cells made in Malaysia were destined for the United States at the time they were exported to the non-inquiry country.”
Therefore, “Solar modules completed in Malaysia that are produced with solar cells that were produced outside of Malaysia, even if the solar cell was produced with a Chinese wafer. Sales of subject merchandise to the United States by firms found not to be circumvented in the Solar Cells from China Final Circumvention Determinations for the which the importer and exporter filled circumvent determination for which the importer and exporter filled the certification in the appendix.”
