Tim Brightbill Testifies Before Congress on China Trade Policy

Tim Brightbill, a partner in Wiley Rein's International Trade Practice, testified before the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission on the competitive challenges posed by Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs).

Law360 reported that Mr. Brightbill, the lead attorney for the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing's anti-dumping and countervailing duty cases against Chinese solar cell imports, told the Commission that China's renewable energy sector is "the perfect example of the nature and extent of Chinese subsidies and the resulting market distortions."

"These distortions in the solar industry are designed not to serve the Chinese market but to dominate the world solar market," said Mr. Brightbill. "By making its SOEs artificially competitive in world markets, the Chinese government has disadvantaged American companies and industries wherever they compete. As Chinese SOEs continue to expand, they will further distort global markets and cause more harm to U.S. companies and their workers."

Mr. Brightbill added that the Chinese solar industry has been selling subsidized solar cells and modules at extremely low prices in the U.S., injuring the domestic solar industry and distorting the entire global market.

Law360 reported that in January, the Department of Commerce determined that "critical circumstances exist in the importation of solar cells from China, paving the way for retroactive duties to be levied if Commerce finds that China is subsidizing solar panel exports to the U.S."