China Furious about US Antidumping Tariffs of 31% against Imported Solar Panels

The US has angered China once again, this time by announcing that antidumping tariffs of more than 31 percent will be levied on solar panels imported from China. The move has infuriated Chinese officials who were already upset due to allegations against China’s human rights policies and confrontational attitude towards American allies such as Japan and the Phillipines.

The tariffs will be some of the biggest in American history, regarding one of the largest and fastest growing industries in China, the world’s largest exporter.

Many people in the US support Chinese panels and oppose the tariffs, claiming that the cheap imports have encouraged many homeowners and businesses to install solar panels, and the new tariffs will increase prices, reducing the demand.

The Chinese are angry, pointing out that for years the US have urged China to embrace renewable energy as a method to reduce air pollution, combat climate change, and reduce their reliance on oil imported from the Middle East.

Alan Price, a partner at the law firm Wiley Rein, who are representing the US solar companies said that China poses a real threat to American manufacturers, especially in the growing green energy sector.

“China’s method is straightforward: it sets forth industry-specific Five-Year Plans and then uses all forms of national and local subsidies and other governmental support to quickly transfer jobs, supply chains, intellectual property and wealth, to the permanent detriment of U.S. and global manufacturers.”

“China’s ability to ramp up and overwhelm an industry is unique and particularly devastating with new and emerging technologies, where global competitors may be less established and can be knocked out more easily and quickly.”

Shawn Qu, chief executive of Canadian Solar, which produces solar panels at manufacturing plants in China and sells them to the US, said that, “limiting trade in solar products will cause panel prices to increase, defeating America’s goal of driving down costs. Our first priority should be to support the health of the industry as a whole through the financing and installation of solar, which is the key driver to expanding jobs in the U.S. solar market.”

By. James Burgess of Oilprice.com