SolarWorld AG, along with six other U.S. solar panel manufacturers, filed a petition with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Commission alleging that Chinese companies have been dumping products on the U.S. market at prices below the cost of production. The companies also accuse the Chinese government of providing illegal subsidies, cash grants and tax breaks to its solar-power manufacturing industry, thereby injuring U.S. manufacturers. The proposed punishment is duties of more than 100 percent on the price of imported solar panels from China.

Shawn Qu, chairman and CEO of Suzhou-based Canadian Solar Inc., said Saturday that the accusations are ridiculous. "The price of solar panels has been pushed down by reduced demand this year due to Europe's debt crisis," said Qu. "Moreover, the price of polysilicon, a material used in solar panels, continued to plummet this year."

The US International Trade Commission will hold an initial hearing into the matter on November 8.

China's business press carried the story above on Tuesday.