China lambasts EU solar panels anti-dumping investigation
September 27, 2012 Category Alternative energy, Environment
China called on the European Union to halt trade protectionism after the opening of an anti-dumping investigation into Chinese solar products. China sold solar panels and components worth around €21 billion to the EU last year, its largest market. “Restricting China’s solar panel products will not only hurt the interests of both Chinese and European industry, it will also wreck the healthy development of the global solar and clean energy sector,” Ministry of Commerce Spokesman Shen Danyang said. He urged the EU to resolve trade frictions in solar photovoltaic products through negotiations. Miao Liansheng, Chairman and CEO of Hebei province-based Yingli, said that his firm will closely cooperate with the European Commission in order to prove that the conditions for imposition of punitive tariffs are not fulfilled. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in Beijing she preferred a negotiated settlement to the dispute, frustrating Europe’s solar panel producers. SolarWorld’s alliance, EU Pro-Sun, says panel prices dropped by 75% from 2008 to 2011 as the Chinese ramped up capacity from almost zero in 2004 until it more than covered global demand for panels last year. It argues prices will still fall, albeit more steadily, if duties are set. However, some European solar companies say Europe should welcome Chinese imports because they make solar power more affordable and are essential to achieve the EU’s goal of having 20% of energy from renewables by 2020.
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