“To the extent that Chinese firms do receive any subsidies, such subsidies are hardly unique to China.”
Suntech CEO Andrew Beebe writes in the Wall Street Journal:
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced a ruling last week to raise trade barriers against solar cells produced in China. The preliminary determination calls for tariffs of 2.9% on cells manufactured by my company, Suntech; 4.73% on those made by Trina Solar; and 3.61% on the rest of solar-cell imports from China. Although these initial rates are modest, the department will consider adding more tariffs over the next several months.
Doing so would be a mistake. Trade barriers—large or small, at any point in the global solar value chain—are harmful to both America and China…