China’s Ministry of Commerce has said it will extend a probe into imports of solar-grade polysilicon from Europe by six months.

MOFCOM cited the complex nature of the case in its decision to prolong the investigation.

China’s probe into imported polysilicon was instigated after the US and European Union launched investigations into alleged dumping of cut price modules into those markets by Chinese manufacturers.

In July China said it would impose duties on imported polysilicon from the US and South Korea, but did not make a decision on imports from Europe as the wider trade dispute with the EU was at its peak at the time.

This broader dispute was resolved, but China has said its investigation into European polysilicon is still ongoing and will run until May 2014.

A statement from MOFCOM made no further comment on the case.