BEIJING, (Reuters) – Longi Green Tech is looking for more overseas manufacturing facilities to capture a larger market and reduce import tariffs.

Longji Green Technology Co is based in Xi’an and has two off-shore plants in Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. These accounts for around 1% of Longji Green Technology Co’s wafer and cell production capacities.

Li Zhenguo (President of Longi Green Tech) stated that they are currently looking into building manufacturing plants in countries with favorable production factors. This was said at an online media meeting on Thursday.

Longi is able to produce 85 GW monocrystaline silica wafers and 50 GW solar modules.

Li indicated that Longi will continue to hold a global market share of monocrystalline silicon wafers at 45%, and that it plans to increase the solar module share to 30%. Li didn’t give a specific time frame. Longi was responsible for 19% worldwide solar module production in 2020.

Longi sold approximately 15% of its total solar products to the U.S. in 2021’s first half, against 11% in 2020, despite the ongoing dispute between Beijing & Washington.

The U.S. imposes 150% tariffs on Chinese solar products. “It’s nearly impossible for China’s products to be sold there,” Li said, noting that Longi’s factories in Malaysia and Vietnam are mostly targeting the U.S. market.

In June, the U.S. banned five Chinese solar companies from entering America. They were accused of forced labor in Xinjiang.

Li claimed that it is “right” to move solar production capacity offshore in the light of China’s climate change promises.

“Carbon neutrality does not just concern China, it is a worldwide issue.” Li stated that it was unfair to ignore China’s energy consumption while still shipping solar products from China.

China is home to nearly 80% global solar wafer- and module production.