U.S. trade officials are set to impose tariffs as high as 3,521% on solar panel imports from four Southeast Asian countries. This decision follows an investigation initiated last year by American solar panel manufacturers who accused Chinese companies of flooding the market with subsidized, low-cost products. Products from Cambodia could face the highest tariffs due to non-cooperation with the U.S. investigation, while Malaysian and Thai products will face lower duties. The final decision rests with the International Trade Commission in June. Critics argue that these tariffs could harm U.S. solar producers by raising costs for imported components used in American factories. Separately, the head of the International Energy Agency expressed concerns about global energy security, emphasizing the need for supply diversification, political predictability, and international cooperation.
— new from The Guardian
