The US Department of Commerce made a final ruling on October 10 that Chinese photovoltaic exporters had received subsidies from Beijing to help them dump crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules in the US.

Hot on the heels of this news, the European Union announced that it would launch its own similar anti-dumping investigation.

But what can Chinese companies do to avoid the growing hostility brewing in Western markets?

For starters, Chinese businesses can invest directly overseas to avoid trade barriers and speed up their internationalization. The Chinese government has shown it is willing to help domestic firms invest overseas. In fact, on October 8, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) gave the green light to 15 overseas investment projects. Among the raft of projects approved by the NDRC three were photovoltaic projects.

At the same time, Chinese firms must to offer products that feature advanced technologies. It is much harder for politicians and lawmakers to slap punitive tariffs on innovative products valued by the market.

The author is from Economic Herald.