Chamber appeals to US not to launch anti-dumping solar products

The China Chamber of International Commerce (CCOIC) on Wednesday appealed to the U.S. government not to launch anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigations into Chinese-made solar panels after U.S. solar product makers filed a probe application. If the United States is to take action on Chinese new energy products, it will negatively affect both the Chinese and U.S. solar industries, as well as the global solar industry, said Wang Xiaokang, vice chairman of the CCOIC and chairman of the China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group. SolarWorld Industries America Inc., a major solar cells and panels maker in the United States, filed the complaint to the U.S. International Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce a week ago. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Commerce and other relevant authorities, Wang, on behalf of the new energy industry of China, expressed his hope that the U.S. authorities will take further measures to maintain fair trade, avoid additional taxes on Chinese solar cells, and work with China to solve trade disputes in more rational ways. "If Chinese solar cells fail to enter the U.S. market due to taxation measures, U.S. exports to China will also be affected, resulting in a double-loss," he said, noting that U.S. solar product makers export more raw materials and equipment than they import finished products from China. U.S. imports of Chinese solar cells have brought the country a trade surplus of 1.88 billion U.S. dollars, the CCOIC said in a separate statement Wednesday, citing figures from the U.S. Solar Energy Industries Association. The CCOIC will continue to monitor the progress of this case and will take further steps in response to the U.S. action, it said. The CCOIC also said that the U.S. government should promote dialogues and consultations between solar business associations in both countries to solve the current difficulties. The U.S. side should also promote its exports of new energy products to China by allocating a greater budget from the Federal government, while easing restrictions and investment investigations into Chinese companies to encourage their investment in the U.S. new energy industry, it said.