On February 21, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce made a final decision on tariffs for Southeast Asian solar panels, raising rates from 21% to a staggering 846%. This hit Chinese solar giants hard, despite their efforts to disguise operations under Malaysian and Vietnamese labels. For over a decade, companies like Jinko Solar and Longi Green Energy built supply chains in Southeast Asia, believing they could bypass U.S. tariffs. But with this move, the U.S. has exposed their strategy, making it clear that Chinese-made products remain at the center of the issue.