Solar panels in Bijie, Southwest China’s Guizhou Province Photo: VCG

 
The senior executive of a Chinese PV enterprise, who was held by German police as part of an investigation, returned to China on July 7, according to Shanghai Securities News (SSN). 

The individual was likely involved in an investigation concerning the minimum import price (MIP) measures for Chinese solar products and was able to return to China after paying the relevant fines, according to SSN.

The senior executive was detained by German police upon arrival at Munich Airport on June 12. The flight was carrying several Chinese photovoltaic industry leaders who intended to participate in Intersolar Europe, the world's largest solar technology exhibition held in Munich.

The German Federal Police, stationed at Munich Airport, previously told the Global Times that "the public prosecutor's office in Augsburg had issued a pre-trial detention order against this person."

According to the SSN report, the investigation lasted nearly a month. During this period, the senior executive was briefly permitted to return to the hotel to handle exhibition-related work. 

However, instead of returning to China with the other exhibitors after the event, the individual stayed in Germany to assist in the investigation, which likely involves the MIP measures for Chinese solar products.

In September 2018, the European Union terminated the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures imposed on solar PV cells and modules from China, including the MIP measures on solar panels made in China.

The MIP came into force in December 2013 for a period of three years. It included minimum import prices and import volumes for Chinese crystalline solar cells and modules.

In recent years, exports of new-energy vehicles, PV products, and lithium battery products, collectively known as China's "new three items," have gained popularity.

Data released by the China Photovoltaic Industry Association (CPIA) revealed that China's total exports of PV products, including silicon wafers, cells, and modules, exceeded $51.2 billion in 2022, marking an 80.3 percent year-on-year increase. 

PV exports to the EU accounted for about half of China's total PV exports, seeing a 114.9 percent year-on-year rise. Market demand is steadily growing in Spain, Germany, and Poland.