The Department’s decision confirms what CPA has consistently warned: Chinese solar companies have been illegally circumventing U.S. trade laws through Southeast Asian shell operations, flooding the U.S. market with dumped and subsidized products directly harming the domestic solar manufacturing industry.
The Department of Defense designated CATL as a “Chinese military company” under Section 1260H of the National Defense Authorization Act on January 7. Their concern: CATL’s advanced lithium-ion batteries may one day be used to power China’s submarine fleet, replacing older battery models.
On April 2, President Donald Trump took bold and historic action to defend American industry with the announcement of sweeping new tariffs aimed at countering unfair foreign trade practices and reigniting U.S. manufacturing. Dubbed “Liberation Day”, this policy marks the first major step in a new era of economic revitalization—one where the United States refuses to accept the systematic dismantling of its industrial base and begins to chart a path back to true production-led prosperity.
In June 2022, the Biden administration introduced a two-year tariff moratorium, temporarily suspending import duties on solar cells and panels from four key Southeast Asian exporting nations—Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
In a House Oversight subcommittee hearing on Feb. 26, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was hit with the usual swipes from detractors, with some calling it the “green scam”, but China’s solar company benefits were never mentioned.
CPA announced key leadership changes as CEO Michael Stumo steps down to take on a new role in the Trump administration. Jon Toomey has been elevated as President of CPA to lead the organization and Nick Iacovella has been promoted to Executive Vice President.
The duties impact several major Chinese solar brands, including Jinko Solar and Trina Solar, as well as Vietnamese manufacturers that Commerce believes have been circumventing tariffs by importing components from mainland China for final assembly.
The U.S. Private Sector Job Quality Index (JQI) is now 84.04, down by 0.49% compared to last month. This continues the multi-month JQI decline trend. Meanwhile, the overall January 2025 Jobs Report from the government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics showed 143,000 jobs added in January.
Valentine will bolster CPA’s advocacy efforts at the federal, state, and local levels, working to advance pro-American trade and economic policies that support domestic manufacturing, strengthen supply chains, and protect American workers.
JA Solar is a member of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA)—a solar importers lobby deeply connected to Chinese companies—that has been a consistent advocate for policies to benefit China solar imports.
