Chinese solar panel makers will have to pay big tariffs to import some of their products into the United States, the US Department of Commerce confirmed this week.

US Customs will impose two tariffs – an anti-dumping duty and a countervailing duty – to counter what it called “injurious” dumping of cheap panels it deemed “unfair” to American business.

The move was prompted after US business SolarWorld Americas Inc complained cheap Chinese panels were undercutting American ones.

It seems US decision-makers agreed and in some cases, Chinese companies will have to pay a tariff of up to 156.04% on top of the original price of the panels. Others face import tariffs of 26.7%.

Chinese-owned solar panel maker Yingli Solar criticised the tariffs as “harsh” and “protectionist”. It has to pay anti-dumping tariffs of 52.13%.

Managing Director of Yingli Green Energy Americas Robert Petrina said: “We are deeply disappointed in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s decision to accept such a broadly defined scope for this ruling… We will continue our vigorous defence on their behalf with the hope that national efforts to increase solar power’s cost-competiveness are not derailed further.”

The ruling needs to be confirmed by the International Trade Commission which could happen at the end of January 2015.

• [Editor:tianxiao]