TMTPOST -- U.S. trade officials have finalized significant tariff rates on the majority of solar cells imported from Southeast Asia, marking a crucial milestone in a year-long trade investigation. The case was initiated last year by Korea's Hanwha Qcells, Arizona-based First Solar Inc, and several smaller American manufacturers, who sought to safeguard billions of dollars in investments in U.S. solar manufacturing. The manufacturers accused Chinese companies of flooding the market with unfairly subsidized and cheap solar products, undermining domestic producers. The finalization of these tariffs is seen as a decisive step in addressing the allegations and protecting the U.S. solar industry.