The chairman of Chinese solar manufacturer LONGi Green Energy has urged more inspections to tackle substandard products and address an imbalance between supply and demand in the sector.
Speaking on Wednesday at the China New Energy International Forum and Exhibition in Beijing, Zhong Baoshen warned that competitive pressures had weakened product quality in China’s solar industry over the past two to three years.
“Price pressure and the excessive number of participants have led to a decline in the average level of the whole industry,” he said. “Therefore, we must resolutely curb this phenomenon through spot checks to maintain the image of China’s photovoltaic industry.”
Zhong’s remarks follow a statement by President Xi Jinping earlier this week, in which he called for the “orderly” withdrawal of outdated production capacity and measures to limit “disorderly” price competition. Xi also urged industry associations to take action to improve standards.
China’s solar manufacturing sector has expanded rapidly in recent years, driven by strong global demand for photovoltaic panels.
However, analysts have warned that overcapacity and aggressive price cutting have placed pressure on profit margins and, in some cases, on quality control.
LONGi, one of the world’s largest solar panel producers, has positioned itself as an advocate for stricter oversight to protect the industry’s reputation. Zhong’s call for additional spot checks reflects broader concerns among major manufacturers about maintaining quality as competition intensifies.
While China remains a dominant global supplier of PV equipment, authorities are signalling that future expansion must balance volume with reliability.
