Chinese solar losses deepen even before worst of trump tariffs
[NEW YORK] Chinese solar manufacturers continue to plunge deeper into the red, and the outlook is getting gloomier as sky-high tariffs on exports threaten to compound domestic oversupply.
Five of the biggest names in the industry – JA Solar Technology, Jinko Solar, Longi Green Energy Technology, Tongwei and Trina Solar – published first-quarter earnings overnight, racking up over eight billion yuan (S$1.4 billion) in losses between them. Their combined loss last year was less than two billion yuan, when two of the companies were still profitable.
'Prices across the main segments of the solar industrial chain were low in the first quarter,' Jinko said in its earnings statement. 'This, combined with disruptions in demand caused by changes in international trade policies, pressured profit margins in each segment of the integrated solar supply chain.'
So, the first takeaway is the industry's so-called self-discipline measures – basically voluntary output controls agreed by dozens of manufacturers last year – have not really worked yet, although Jinko said in its statement that self-regulation had shown a gradual improvement over the period.
The second is that conditions will only deteriorate if the worst of the Trump administration's tariffs come into force. Those include staggering levies as high as 3,521 per cent on four South-east Asian nations where Chinese firms had based much of their production to circumvent US duties.
New tariffs
The new tariffs, which were announced earlier in April, should be finalised in the coming weeks, assuming that the US trade regulator determines the imports have been detrimental to American producers. That's likely to force another round of costly relocation for the troubled industry.
CSI Solar, an affiliate of Nasdaq-listed Canadian Solar, said on Monday it's preparing to move capacity to other regions facing lower duties. JA Solar said earlier this month it's planning to speed up efforts to globalise its manufacturing, including by opening a plant in Oman.
In the meantime, the ramp-up in domestic installations that's supported demand in recent months is likely to meet dead air after a Jun 1 deadline, when less favourable policies on solar pricing come into effect.
So, expect profitability to improve sequentially in the second quarter, said Daiwa Capital Markets analysts including Dennis Ip. But that's 'likely to be unsustainable due to a potential demand vacuum in the third quarter', according to a note from the brokerage. BLOOMBERG
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ST PHOTO: TARYN NG Old Street Bak Kut Teh was ahead of the curve. It introduced Seafood Bak Kut Teh ($13.30+ for small, $24.10+ for large) eight years ago. The dish is a medley of tiger prawns, clams and pork ribs in its signature bak kut teh broth. Broth revival Why is traditional bak kut teh, once seen as a dish for older diners, making a comeback? Sellers say it boils down to comfort. Bak kut teh offers a rich broth, familiar flavours and a sense of nourishment – qualities that outlast short-lived food trends. Ms Gong of L5 Bak Kut Teh says: 'Bak kut teh is deeply tied to memory, family and culture. Its warmth and familiarity make it a dish that feels especially comforting in uncertain times.' Mr Lim Kuan Yiou, 30, business development director of Old Street Bak Kut Teh, says: 'There are many food options on the market, especially with new eateries selling fusion food such as modern European or modern Asian fare. But diners who miss home cooking and crave local food will gravitate towards things like bak kut teh and zi char dishes.' Mr Lim Kuan Yiou, business development director of Old Street Bak Kut Teh, at its Telok Ayer outlet's private karaoke room on the third storey. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE He adds that while it may not be an everyday meal, some customers eat bak kut teh two to three times a week. It suits both quick solo meals and group gatherings. 'The dish conjures up nostalgia and family,' he says. 'Many people have the shared experience of eating bak kut teh on weekends with their families.' Mr Low says that it is a practical, value-for-money dish that reheats well for takeaway – ideal for diners with hectic schedules who want a hearty meal without the fuss. Pin Xiang Bak Kut Teh co-owner Low Heng Kin notes that bak kut teh lends itself to reheating for takeaway orders. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Growing appeal to younger diners Ms Gong sees the rise in new bak kut teh concepts as a healthy sign of growing interest, particularly among younger diners. She welcomes the competition as motivation to stay distinctive and relevant, while contributing to the dish's evolving place in Singapore's food culture. While Ms Koh did not set out to attract younger diners, she has noted more Gen Z and millennial customers at her Keong Saik outlet. 'They do not show up just once. They return regularly with more friends in tow.' The outlet being air-conditioned lends to its appeal. Older diners, however, say the air-conditioning is too cold and causes food to lose heat more quickly. To counter this, Ms Koh did away with traditional ceramic bowls with rooster motifs and replaced them with claypots, which can retain heat longer. Old Street Bak Kut Teh's four outlets in Singapore emphasise ambience, technology – such as a QR code ordering system – and efficient service to appeal to younger diners, especially working adults who have limited time for lunch breaks. With competition heating up, Ms Koh feels that bak kut teh cannot continue in its original form and thrive. 'Customers want more variety, so people who don't eat it still have choices.' She learnt this in the first two months of operation when she named the outlet Keong Saik Bak Kut Teh, after its heritage location, even though it served more than bak kut teh. 'Some people feel bak kut teh is more of a breakfast or lunch food and do not fancy having it for dinner,' she says. That insight spurred a key branding move. She changed her eatery's name to The Teochew Kitchenette @ Keong Saik in March. This led to increased footfall, especially from families looking for home-style dishes , not just bak kut teh . The Teochew Kitchenette @ Keong Saik, co-owned by Ms Rebecca Koh, offers zi char favourites in addition to bak kut teh. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG Other operators share similar views, expanding their offerings to include zi char classics, fusion items and even cocktails and entertainment. Whether it is a nostalgic tribute to family recipes or a bold pairing of pork rib soup with karaoke and cocktails, bak kut teh is stirring up fresh interest across Singapore. As more eateries reinvent the dish with broader menus and modern touches, bak kut teh is no longer just a classic – it is becoming part of Singapore's evolving dining identity. Here is how five establishments are brewing the next chapter in Singapore's bak kut teh story. Pin Xiang Bak Kut Teh: Honouring a father's legacy with Ipoh roots Bak Kut Teh Dry, Bak Kut Teh Soup and Vinegar Pork Trotter from Pin Xiang Bak Kut Teh at Food Republic in BreakTalk IHQ. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM When Mr Low opened the first Pin Xiang Bak Kut Teh outlet at a coffee shop in Geylang East in June 2024, he did so with a recipe he never cooked with his father, but which his mother had preserved in writing. His father, who ran a bak kut teh stall in Ipoh from 1996 to 2017, died of cancer in 2019. 'I never had the chance to learn from him directly,' Mr Low says. 'But I grew up helping out at the stall. This is my way of continuing his legacy.' He closed the Geylang East stall due to low footfall and reopened at BreadTalk IHQ in Tai Seng in February 2025 . Mr Low Heng Kin operates Pin Xiang Bak Kut Teh at Food Republic in BreakTalk IHQ. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Unlike the darker, stronger Klang version, Ipoh-style herbal broth is lighter and less medicinal. At Pin Xiang, the broth simmers for eight hours with premium herbs such as dang gui and Solomon's seal, along with fresh pork ribs and soft bone cuts. Co-owner Low Heng Kin preparing bak kut teh soup at Pin Xiang Bak Kut Teh at Food Republic in BreakTalk IHQ. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM The bestseller, Bak Kut Teh (Soup), which costs $8.50 for a small portion and $16 for medium, includes enoki mushrooms, tau kee, Chinese celery and tau pok. Chinese celery accents the dish with peppery pungence. Bak Kut Teh Soup from Pin Xiang Bak Kut Teh. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Another standout is the Bak Kut Teh Dry (Spicy), which costs $9.50 for a small portion and $18 for medium. The dish is wok-fried with dried chillies, shredded cuttlefish and okra, and accented with red onion and garlic. Golden croutons of pork lard crown the dish. The dark sauce is savoury without being too salty. Bak Kut Teh Dry from Pin Xiang Bak Kut Teh. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Vinegar Pork Trotter ($9.50), braised for two hours in sweet vinegar and brown sugar, comes with ginger slices and quail eggs. Vinegar pork trotter from Pin Xiang Bak Kut Teh. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Where: Stall 5, 01-06 Food Republic, BreadTalk IHQ, 30 Tai Seng Street Open: 10am to 8.30pm daily Tel: 8209-6690 L5 Bak Kut Teh: Recreating the flavours of Klang Da Gu (big bone, top left), Xiao Gu (small bone, top right), Lala Bak Kut Teh (centre) and Penang Signature Ngoh Hiang (bottom left), with Scallion Rice and plain rice at L5 Bak Kut Teh. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG Mr Gong learnt to cook the dish from his father, who sold bak kut teh out of his kampung house's front yard in Klang. After moving to Singapore at age 18, he continued cooking the dish as a way of holding on to the taste of home. For more than three decades, he prepared it twice a month for friends and family. They enjoyed it so much that they encouraged him to open an eatery. L5 stands for Lao Wu. The numeral 5 is a play on 'Wu', which is his surname, and 'Lao' means 'old' in Chinese, representing heritage and tradition. Naming the eatery 'L5' is intended to resonate with younger diners used to shorthand and acronyms. At the 50-seat eatery, the Klang-style broth is made fresh daily with long-simmered pork bones, dark soya sauce and 18 herbs refined through months of testing. True to the style in Klang, the eatery serves Xiao Gu ($8.90++), which refers to a leaner cut of the pig's hind leg. Xiao Gu (small bone) Bak Kut Teh. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG Da Gu ($8.90++) is a fatter cut of the hind leg. The herbal broth is aromatic without being too bitter or astringent. Da Gu (big bone) Bak Kut Teh at L5 Bak Kut Teh. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG Try the Scallion Rice ($1.50++) to complete the Malaysian bak kut teh experience. A skilful home cook, Mr Gong is behind the recipes at the eatery, including Penang Signature Ngoh Hiang ($6.90++), which uses a Penang brand of five spice. Pork belly strips and yam cubes give the filling, wrapped in beancurd skin, added texture. Penang Signature Ngoh Hiang at L5 Bak Kut Teh. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG Where: 01-30 Grantal Mall @ MacPherson, 601 MacPherson Road Open: 11am to 10pm, Tuesdays to Sundays; closed on Mondays Tel: 8801-5229 En Yeoh's Bak Kut Teh: Teahouse by day, izakaya by night A collaboration between a Klang hallmark brand, Yeoh's Bak Kut Teh, and Japanese restaurant group, En Group, En Yeoh's Bak Kut Teh is the group's first concept that is not fully Japanese. Its fourth and newest outlet at Changi City Point opened in May 2025 . En Yeoh's Bak Kut Teh's newest outlet at Changi City Point. PHOTO: EN YEOH'S BAK KUT TEH 'We have 25 years of Japanese F&B experience and decided to fuse Japanese influences into the bak kut teh menu,' says Mr Ng. Hokkaido pork is used for the bak kut teh, and soumen instead of mee sua is used in the menu. Even the rice is Masshigura rice grown in Aomori prefecture. 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PHOTO: EN YEOH'S BAK KUT TEH Where: B1-30 Changi City Point, 5 Changi Business Park Central 1 Open: 11am to 10pm daily Info: Old Street Bak Kut Teh (Telok Ayer): Tradition meets karaoke The fourth and newest outlet of Old Street Bak Kut Teh opened in April 2025 in a conserved Telok Ayer shophouse to mark the chain's 15th anniversary. Old Street Bak Kut Teh (Telok Ayer) occupies a shophouse. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE Founded in 2010 by husband-and-wife team Jason Lim, 59, and Priscilia Koh, 55, the brand has evolved with each outlet. Mr Lim Kuan Yiou, who is the eldest son of the founders, says: 'Our first outlet was also a shophouse. This (newest) one has a mural of Chinatown's old street life – and a KTV room with a $500 minimum spend. My dad's a karaoke fan. That was his idea.' Mr Lim Kuan Yiou, business development director of Old Street Bak Kut Teh, at the Telok Ayer outlet's private KTV room. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE The chain's clear, flavoursome broth has a lightly gelatinous texture and is not too peppery. 'We don't use a central kitchen,' says Mr Lim. 'The soup is boiled in small batches throughout the day, so it stays fresh. That's how the clarity and taste stay consistent.' The Pork Ribs Soup ($10.50+ for small, $14+ for large) follows a Teochew-style recipe with white peppercorns from Sarawak and chilled pork bones flown in from Europe. Bak Kut Teh set at Old Street Bak Kut Teh (Telok Ayer). ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE Dry Bak Kut Teh ($12.20+ for small, $15.70+ for large) is tossed in a Malaysian-style sauce with okra and cuttlefish. Dry Bak Kut Teh at Old Street Bak Kut Teh (Telok Ayer). ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE Soya Beancurd ($3.10+) and crispy, pillowy You Tiao ($2.60+) are made from scratch at the outlet. Soya Milk and Soya Beancurd are freshly prepared at Old Street Bak Kut Teh (Telok Ayer) every morning. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE From 6pm, bar bites such as Grilled Iberico Pork Jowl ($28+) and Grilled Pork Skewer ($6+) are available. Where: 112 Telok Ayer When: 7.30am to 11pm daily Tel: 8512-2856 Info: The Teochew Kitchenette @ Keong Saik: Bak kut teh in a zi char restaurant More than bak kut teh is offered in this Teochew eatery, which serves up favourites such as claypot pig liver and steamed squid. The Teochew Kitchenette @ Keong Saik, which opened in November 2024 at 26 Keong Saik Road, is much bigger than its flagship at Block 7 Tanjong Pagar Plaza and also has a larger menu. The original eatery, which opened in 2017, serves Teochew Fish Soup ($7.80) and Homemade Prawn Roll ($6.50 for five pieces). Homemade Prawn Rolls at The Teochew Kitchenette @ Keong Saik. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG While business is brisk there, it seats just 20 diners indoors and 20 outdoors, compared with the 60-seat Keong Saik outlet. Run by husband-and-wife team Lee Hon Tat, 55, and Rebecca Koh, the Keong Saik outlet is fully air-conditioned – a draw for tourists and families. Its Premium Pork Loin Rib Soup ($8 for one piece, $15 for two) uses fresh chilled prime pork ribs and Sarawak pepper. The broth is based on Ms Koh's maternal grandmother's recipe, adjusted over six months for modern palates. Premium Pork Loin Rib Soup at The Teochew Kitchenette @ Keong Saik. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG Signature dishes include Claypot Pig's Liver ($13 for regular, $19 for large), with pork liver prepared to remove odour and achieve a powdery texture. Claypot Pig's Liver at The Teochew Kitchenette @ Keong Saik. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG The bouncy yet tender Steamed Squid ($16 for one, $29 for two) is popular. Steamed Squid at The Teochew Kitchenette. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG Where: 26 Keong Saik Road Open: 11am to 3.30pm and 5 to 9.30pm (Mondays to Saturdays), 11am to 3.30pm and 5 to 9pm (Sundays) Tel: 8338-7106 Hedy Khoo is senior correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers food-related news, from reviews to human interest stories. Check out ST's Food Guide for the latest foodie recommendations in Singapore.
