The Trump administration on Monday announced its intention to impose new tariffs of up to 3,521% on solar panels from Southeast Asia.

The first US official to visit Southeast Asia since Washington announced punitive tariffs on the region's countries on Tuesday issued a robust defence of President Donald Trump's foreign policy approach.

The US Commerce Department has announced plans to impose tariffs of up to 3,521% on imports of solar panels from four South East Asian countries. It comes after an investigation that began a year ago when several major solar equipment producers asked the administration of then-President Joe Biden to protect their US operations.