An anti-dumping complaint filed by US solar firms against their Chinese counterparts is driven by envy at China’s rapid growth in the field and goes against global efforts to fight climate change, a major state-run newspaper said yesterday.
Seven US solar manufacturers this month asked the administration of US President Barack Obama to impose duties of more than 100 percent on China solar imports, which they said were unfairly undercutting US prices and destroying US jobs.
In a front-page commentary, the China Energy News, published by Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece the People’s Daily, said this was a foolish, misguided attempt at trade protectionism driven by jealousy.
“In the space of just five years, the rapid development of the Chinese companies has attracted envious eyes overseas,” wrote Wang Yuehai (王月海), secretary-general of the All China Federation of Industry and Commerce’s new energy commission.
Obama had failed to live up to his promises to boost growth by supporting the renewable energy sector, leaving China to lead the way, he said.
“The US solar industry is using the awkwardness of the Obama government to try and force it into trade protectionism and attack the rapid development of China’s solar industry,” Wang wrote.
The complaint also runs counter to the consensus reached by the two countries to develop clean energy, an important sector to support as the world tries to stimulate growth at a time of global financial crisis, he added.
The controversy comes at a sensitive time in US-China trade relations, which are plagued by US concerns over market access in China, Beijing’s treatment of intellectual property rights and stern debate over the value of China’s currency.
The Chinese Commerce Ministry has already warned the US not to take protectionist measures over the solar energy issue that could harm the global economy.
The US companies’ complaint — filed with the International Trade Commission and the US Department of Commerce against the world’s No. 2 economy — has drawn skepticism from within the industry, as many fear a trade war could disrupt growth.
Many executives from the US and Europe have complained privately for years about China’s impact on solar markets, but most have also said the business was so globalized that penalizing one country would not help firms that are struggling to survive.
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