China recorded total imports of 93.09 million tonnes of solar-grade polysilicon in January, increasing 1.1% on month, and 57.80 tonnes or 62.09% of which was through export processing zones (EPZs), according to China's customs statistics.
The China government has imposed anti-dumping and anti-subsidization tariffs on polysilicon imported from the US, Europe and South Korea, but polysilicon imported for processing in EPZs is not subject to the taxation. Consequently, polysilicon was imported through EPZs to evade the taxation until the China government temporarily banned such imports on September 1, 2014. However, China-based importers already obtaining import permits before September 1 were allowed to import polysilicon through EPZs until the permits expired.
Of polysilicon imports in January, 38.67 million tonnes or 41.54% came from South Korea possibly because South Korea-based producers are imposed with the lowest tariffs at 2.4%.
