US Senators Call on Biden to Raise Sec. 301 Tariffs on Chinese Solar Imports

Four U.S. Senators have written a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to raise tariffs on Chinese solar imports, specifically solar wafers, cells, and modules, under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The letter, addressed by Senators Sherrod Brown, Jon Ossoff, Marco Rubio, and Rev. Raphael Warnock, highlights the concern that China’s heavily subsidized solar products are undermining efforts to revive domestic solar manufacturing in the United States.

Citing a recent study by Wood Mackenzie, the Senators point out that the price of a solar panel manufactured in China is significantly lower than that of an American-made panel. They argue that China’s aggressive subsidies and its capacity to meet global demand pose an existential threat to the U.S. solar industry and energy security.

Although there have been some positive developments in American solar manufacturing, the Senators contend that additional measures, such as increased Section 301 tariffs, are necessary to protect domestic manufacturers from unfair competition.

While Section 301 tariffs have already been imposed on certain Chinese solar products since 2018, the impact of further tariffs on the market remains uncertain, as the United States imports only a small number of solar panels directly from China. Nonetheless, the Senators emphasize the importance of implementing these tariffs to safeguard the economic and national security interests of the United States, as well as to protect the thousands of workers employed by American solar manufacturers.