The Coalition for a Prosperous America, which bills itself as a pro-domestic manufacturing organization, is calling President Trump’s upcoming decision to impose remedies on solar imports an opportunity to bolster an “America First trade strategy” – and blasting members of Congress for “effectively” supporting Chinese efforts to dominate key industries.
[December 18, 2017 | Inside US Trade]
“President Trump should address China’s trade cheating at every opportunity,” Dan DiMicco, chairman of CPA and former trade adviser to Trump’s transition team, said in a Dec. 18 statement. “In January, he can take the next step toward an America First trade strategy by approving strong and effective solar panel tariffs to confront China’s plan to take out American industries.”
Earlier this month, Trump said he would appoint DiMicco to serve on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations, a panel of outside advisers chartered to offer guidance on trade policy and agreements to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
Trump has until Jan. 26 to decide which types of safeguard remedies to impose on imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules, if any.
China, according to CPA, is the primary culprit behind the U.S. solar industry’s demise.
“China was ‘China First’ before America was America First,” said Michael Stumo, CEO of CPA. “The solar panel industry is merely the next domino that could fall. President Trump has an excellent opportunity to fix trade cheating in the solar panel industry by authorizing effective tariffs to neutralize foreign subsidies.”
