The US International Trade Commission said on Friday it will proceed with its investigation of solar energy products imported from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan because there is a "reasonable indication'' the imports are hurting the domestic solar industry.

If the commission determines the imports "threaten material injury" to US producers, the US Commerce Department will reveal its preliminary countervailing duty decision by late March and its anti-dumping duty determination by June.

The US arm of German solar panel maker SolarWorld, based in Hillsboro, Oregon, filed a complaint with the US Commerce Department in December.

It accused the Chinese mainland of flooding the US with cheap products because the country shifted production of certain solar panel parts to Taiwan to avoid various trade duties.

SolarWorld's Chief Executive Officer Frank Asbeck wrote in a note at the beginning of the month: "China is improperly seizing control of an industry that the United States invented."

Addressed to President Barack Obama — who spoke about the US solar industry in this year's State of the Union address — Asbeck said China driving down its prices has "hurt and bankrupted dozens of well-run US solar manufacturers and cost the jobs of thousands of US employees".

US tariff investigation clouds solar panel products commerce	Solar panel makers look downstream for better earning