Chinese PV Industry Brief: Tongwei clears antitrust hurdle for acquisition of polysilicon competitor Qinghai Lihao

Tongwei said it has largely completed auditing, valuation and other due-diligence work for its planned acquisition of a 100% stake in Qinghai Lihao Clean Energy. The company has also received antitrust clearance from China’s State Administration for Market Regulation, removing a key regulatory hurdle for the transaction. Tongwei said in August that the acquisition had entered the final stage of negotiations over the transaction plan. Qinghai Lihao is a privately held joint-stock company registered in 2021 in Xining, Qinghai province. Its business scope includes electronic materials and related manufacturing and trading activities. Industry reports describe Lihao as a rapidly scaling polysilicon producer leveraging Qinghai’s renewable power resources. Public reporting on its buildout indicates that a first-phase 50,000 metric ton polysilicon project reached commissioning in 2022, with longer-term capacity ambitions reported to be significantly higher.

Longi Chairman Zhong Baoshen said at the company’s first-half results briefing on Sept. 3 that its most difficult period had passed and operating conditions were expected to gradually improve. Longi reported a first-half net loss attributable to shareholders of CNY 3.68 billion ($542 million), widening about 43% year on year, although its gross margin returned to positive territory. Back-contact (BC) module sales rose 125% from a year earlier, while overseas markets accounted for more than 65% of module revenue. Zhong said measures to curb excessive competition in China’s solar industry could help stabilize supply-chain prices and support a recovery in profitability.

GCL System Integration (GCL SI) and Ant Digital Technologies signed an agreement to develop “GCL Carbon Chain 4.0” at the 2026 Inclusion – The Bund Summit on Sept. 11. The companies plan to integrate AI agent technology into the platform to support intelligent operations, proactive decision-making and ecosystem collaboration. The upgraded platform will offer downstream customers services including carbon accounting, carbon asset verification, green electricity trading and green finance. GCL SI aims to expand the system from an internal corporate tool into an open carbon-management infrastructure platform for the wider industry. The company previously worked with Ant Digital on the GCL Carbon Chain blockchain-based supply-chain carbon tracking system.

JinkoSolar Holdings said on Sept. 9 that its board has approved a proposal to change the company’s English name to Jinko Holdings Limited, alongside a corresponding Chinese name change to Jinko Holdings Co., Ltd. The change applies only to the Cayman Islands-incorporated parent company and will not affect Shanghai-listed JinkoSolar Co., Ltd., while its NYSE ticker will remain JKS. The proposal is subject to shareholder approval at a meeting scheduled for Oct. 21. The company said the change reflects its shift from a pure-play solar manufacturer toward a holding and strategic investment platform. It plans to retain control of its core solar and energy storage businesses while expanding into areas including artificial intelligence, renewable energy, advanced materials and commercial space.