Taiwan’s Bureau of Foreign Trade announced today (17th) that future imported solar modules must be attached with proof of manufacturing country, or documents or affidavits proving that the corresponding modules and cells are not made in China, in order to eradicate any possibilities of China-made solar products entering Taiwan.
Chinese solar products have always been prohibited from entering Taiwan, though the existing regulations do not forbid imports from overseas, where the affordable Southeast Asia-made modules have been receiving increasing spotlights. However, module makers are concerned that China-made solar products can be labelled differently through other countries, or that China-made cells could come into Taiwan after assembly with modules is done in other countries.
Bureau of Foreign Trade has now closed the loophole by amending the relevant regulations, which now state that imported solar cells or modules in the future must be attached with proof of manufacturing country provided by the importing country, government of the manufacturing country, or the authorized department, or documents or affidavits proving that the imported modules and cells are not made in China. Imported goods, without either of the aforementioned criteria, or are attached with false declaration information, are prohibited from entering Taiwan.
Taiwanese suppliers believe that the new regulation mainly restricts modules from adopting China-made solar cells, which is a positive outcome for the Taiwan industry on the whole.
(Cover photo source: Unsplash)