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Trump orders 15% tariff on polysilicon imports to counter China
The executive order also sets minimum import prices for polysilicon and related products, aiming to shield US makers as China holds most global production.
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing a 15% tariff on imported products made from polysilicon, a key input for semiconductors and solar panels, according to BBC Business. The order also establishes minimum import prices on polysilicon and related products.
The move follows a national security investigation into polysilicon production overseas and is designed to protect US manufacturers facing competition from China, a recurring source of friction between the two economies. The Chinese embassy in Washington said the tariff would seriously disrupt trade and accused Washington of abusing state power.
Trump said the US has let foreign firms weaken domestic producers in the polysilicon sector, and he cited a sharp decline in the US share of global polysilicon production, from 50% in 2005 to less than 2% in 2024. He said he accepted recommendations from Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to set both the tariff and the minimum import prices.
BBC Business reports the order is expected to benefit US firms Hemlock Semiconductor and Wacker Chemie, the main domestic polysilicon producers. The executive order also aligns with broader US efforts to limit China's role in critical technology supply chains.