Summary
Chinese solar companies, which control over 80% of the global solar market, have long avoided U.S. duties by shifting production to Southeast Asia.
Over 80% of U.S. solar imports now come from nations like Malaysia and Vietnam, but new U.S. tariffs are expanding to these regions.
In response, Chinese firms are exploring manufacturing in the Middle East.
Analysts say such measures expose the challenges of reducing U.S. reliance on China’s solar supply chain.
In practice, authoritarian countries that you’re friendly with are treated as honorary democracies, and democracies you have a spat with become honorary dictatorships.