US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing a 15% tariff on polysilicon imports, a crucial material used in semiconductors and solar panels, as part of a national security investigation into the production of this material overseas. The measures are intended to protect US manufacturers from increasing competition from China's chip industry and will take effect in December. According to Trump, China holds a near monopoly on polysilicon production, with imports leading to the US' share of global production falling from 50% in 2005 to less than 2% in 2024. The Chinese embassy has responded by calling the move "protectionism" that will not make the US more competitive.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
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Story summary
US President Donald Trump has imposed a 15% tariff on imported products made from polysilicon, a crucial material used in semiconductors and solar panels. This decision is aimed at protecting US manufacturers who face increasing competition from China's chip industry, which has been a source of friction between the two economies. The move comes after a national security investigation into overseas production of polysilicon, and it will take effect in December. As part of the same executive order, Trump also set minimum import prices on polysilicon and related products to help boost domestic production. In response, the Chinese embassy in Washington has criticized the decision, calling it an abuse of state power that will not make the US more competitive. The embassy said the move "seriously disrupts" trade between the two countries and vowed to take action to protect Chinese companies.
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Leaning score -0.40 for article 676 (medium confidence, 2 verified quotes) · logged 2026-08-27
- Published
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that imposes a 15% tariff on imported products made from polysilicon, a crucial material used in semiconductors and solar panels.
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that → publish → semiconductors
The order also set minimum import prices on polysilicon and related products.
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order → set → polysilicon
It comes after a national security investigation into the production of the material overseas.
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It → come → material
The move is intended to help protect US manufacturers as they face increasing competition from China's chip industry - a key source of friction between the world's two largest economies.
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they → intend → economies
The Chinese embassy in Washington said the move "seriously disrupts" trade between the two countries and Beijing will act to protect its companies.
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Beijing → say → companies
Washington is "abusing state power to go after Chinese businesses," the embassy said, adding that protectionism will not make the US more competitive.
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US → abuse → businesses
Trump said in the order, external that he had accepted recommendations by Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick to set minimum import prices as well as a 15% tariff on polysilicon and related imports.
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he → say → imports
The measures are due to take effect in December.
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measures → take → December
The US will also offer incentives to boost domestic production, it added.
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it → offer → production
For decades, the US has allowed "foreign firms to weaken United States producers in the polysilicon sector," said Trump, who has long advocated for the use of tariffs to protect American jobs and boost the economy.
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who → allow → economy
The material is critical in military equipment and electronics, yet imports have led to the US' share of global polysilicon production to fall from 50% in 2005 to less than 2% in 2024, Trump said.
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Trump → lead → 2024
China holds a near monopoly on the production of polysilicon.
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China → hold → polysilicon
The order is likely to benefit Hemlock Semiconductor and Wacker Chemie, which are the main producers of the material in the US.
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which → benefit → US
The production of computer chips is central to the race between the US and China to develop artificial intelligence (AI).
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production → develop → intelligence
Washington and Beijing have also been locked in a tit-for-tat tariffs war, which has been on hold since May 2025.
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which → lock → May
Analysts quoted by Chinese state media outlet Global Times said the new tariff marks the latest escalation in Washington's efforts to limit China's role in critical technology supply chains.
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tariff → quote → chains
The move follows other US restrictions on the imports of drones, humanoid robots and other tech products from China.
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move → follow → China
China announced a range of countermeasures this week, including tighter export controls on drones.
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China → announce → drones
Beijing also launched a national security review into imported printers and copiers.
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Beijing → launch → printers
