US Commerce Department Wednesday announced its affirmative final determinations in antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells from China, whether or not assembled into modules.

The department said Chinese producers and exporters sold solar cells in the US market at dumping margins ranging from 18.32 percent to 249.96 percent, and they received countervailable subsidies of 14.78 percent to 15.97 percent.

Related reading: Chinese solar shipments may drop 75% on US Tariffs

Imports of solar cells from China were valued at an estimated $3.1 billion in 2011, according to Commerce Department.

The US International Trade Commission, or ITC, is scheduled to make its final determination on or before Nov 23. If the result affirms that these products cause material injury or threat to the US industry, Commerce Department will issue the antidumping duty and countervailing duty orders. If the ITC makes a negative determination, the investigations will be terminated.

The commerce department initiated the antidumping duty and countervailing duty investigations on Nov 8, 2011 in response to a petition filed on Oct 19, 2011 by SolarWorld Industries America Incorporation in the state of Oregon.

Trade tensions due to US protectionism against China have been simmering throughout the entire election year as both presidential candidates use China as a punching bag.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has repeatedly urged the United States to abide by its commitment against protectionism and work together with China and other members of the international community to maintain a free, open and just international trade environment.

China probes polysilicon from US and South Korea

China's Ministry of Commerce is in a position to start anti-dumping and countervailing investigations into exports of polysilicon, a material used in solar manufacturing, from the United States and a similar investigation into polysilicon exports from South Korea.

US raises tariffs on solar-gear imports from China

The US Commerce Department determined that Chinese solar-product imports should be subject to additional tariffs to offset government subsidies, Blooomberg reported Wednesday,citing an agency document.

Solar power faces eclipse from US tariffs

It's hard not to notice the huge tilting solar walls at the headquarters of Suntech Power Holdings, the world's largest producer of silicon solar modules, located in Wuxi city, East China's Jiangsu province. Through the use of solar power, the walls provide 80 percent of the electricity required by the building, with zero emissions of air pollutants.

Solar firms form alliance for US investigation

A Chinese machinery chamber on Thursday announced that it has organized 14 of the country's solar panel companies to cope with an antidumping investigation launched by the United States.

US ruling on solar panels 'unreasonable'

China on Friday rejected a US anti-dumping ruling against Chinese solar power equipment, calling it "unfair" and "unreasonable", as Chinese manufacturers warned that possible higher tariffs might hurt efforts to promote clean energy.

China solar firms join to oppose US tariff ruling

China's major solar companies are joining forces to set up an alliance, to be known as SEPA. The group collectively expressed strong opposition to a preliminary American decision to levy duties on Chinese solar cell exports. And they're not going down without a fight.

US tariff signal PV industry protectionism

Chinese solar panel manufacturers on Thursday expressed strong opposition to the anti-dumping tariff imposed by the United States and warned that the decision will harm the US economy.

PV technology offers way around US duties

China is developing third-generation photovoltaic technology, which may help Chinese PV makers circumvent heavy duties imposed by the United States, according to He Zuoxiu, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Backgrounder: Quick review of solar disputes

This tussle over Chinese solar products has been going on for a while, let's take a brief review of its developments to date. To start with, on October 19th, 2011 in America, German company SolarWorld and other six unnamed companies filed a lawsuit, asking for 100 percent import duties on crystalline modules imported from China.