Maybe that makes China the smartest solar investor of all, at least in the short-term, as Trina Solar ( TSL ), Yingli Green Energy undefined, Suntech Power ( STP ), Solarfun Power ( SOLF) and JA Solar ( JASO ) have rapidly gained market share. The best-case scenario, which is being argued by those most confident in the future of solar, is that the low-cost Chinese players will merely extend their market share gains as the feed-in tariffs are reduced, market by market. This would spell big trouble for higher-cost solar companies, like First Solar, and even Chinese player Suntech, which is more expensive relative to its Chinese peers. However, this scenario doesn't take into account the extent to which political currents, churned by continued economic trouble, could bring tariff regimes down at a pace that outmatches the solar industry's ability to counterpunch.