US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that imposes a 15% tariff on imported products made from polysilicon, a crucial material used in semiconductors and solar panels, VBC reported. 

The order also set minimum import prices on polysilicon and related products. It comes after a national security investigation into the production of the material overseas.

The move is intended to help protect US manufacturers as they face increasing competition from China's chip industry - a key source of friction between the world's two largest economies.