China Halts Suzhou Maxwell Solar Machinery Talks With Tesla, SpaceX as Export Controls Hit 1 in 3 U.S. Firms
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jun 16
China Halts Suzhou Maxwell Solar Machinery Talks With Tesla, SpaceX as Export Controls Hit 1 in 3 U.S. Firms
1 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jun 16
Summary
Chinese authorities in March told Suzhou Maxwell to pause negotiations to sell solar-cell manufacturing equipment to Tesla and SpaceX, leaving the talks stuck without a formal written order.
More than one-third of U.S.-China Business Council member companies said Chinese export controls affected them over the past year, underscoring Beijing’s widening use of supply-chain chokepoints beyond rare earths.
Suzhou Maxwell matters because China dominates solar manufacturing—producing 92% of cells and 97% of wafers in 2024—and the company is a leading supplier of screen-printing equipment suited to U.S. factories.
Analysts said the move is driven more by politics than technology, as Beijing seeks leverage over Washington while preserving its commercial edge and reducing its own exposure to U.S. retaliation.
The restrictions could accelerate non-China supply chains, though rivals may need 3 to 5 years to catch up and new U.S. solar import duties could further narrow the window for any future deal.