Chinese firms grease the Windmills in Nevada
Akihiro Okada / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent
Chinese firms grease the wheels / Growing presence in U.S. concerns some, but foes can be won over
Chinese firms are being forced to find shrewd ways to deal with resistance from U.S. lawmakers.
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A-Power lobbied prominent members of Congress, seeking their support for the plan, which proposed the largest ever U.S.-China operation in the field of clean energy.
The firm proposed to construct, as part of the plan for the Texas plant, a wind turbine factory in Nevada--the electoral base of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. The project was welcomed by Reid, who said the facility would create an estimated 1,000 jobs.
After he was on board, opposing voices in Congress died down. Labor unions also changed their tune and agreed to support the construction of the facility, providing the project with a major boost.
According to the Heritage Foundation, an influential U.S. think tank, the amount invested from China in business activities in the United States increased sharply between 2005 and 2009, from 8.4 billion dollars to 49.9 billion dollars.
In 2010, the figure had reached 30.8 billion dollars by the end of June, and is expected to continue rising.
China rejects clean energy probe, calls US unfair
Joe McDonald
Sunday, October 17, 2010
ACTIVIST POST
The U.S. government said Friday it would investigate complaints by a labor union that Beijing unfairly subsidizes its producers of wind and solar equipment.
"Chinese subsidies to new energy companies are much smaller than those of the U.S. government," said Zhang Guobao, director of the Cabinet's National Energy Administration, at a news conference. "If the U.S. government can subsidize companies, then why can't we?"
The complaint by the United Steelworkers adds to strains between Washington and Beijing over trade in tires, steel, chicken, movies and other goods. It says Chinese producers can sell wind and solar equipment at lower prices abroad because they get subsidies that are prohibited by global trade rules.
Zhang countered that Washington might be improperly supporting its own industry. He cited what he said were rules on spending of U.S. government money for solar energy that require equipment to be domestically made.
"If what I said is right, it is the United States that should be sued, not us," he said.
The unusually prompt, high-level Chinese response reflects Beijing's growing confidence in rejecting U.S. pressure over trade and other issues, as well as its determination to develop high-tech industry.
http://www.activistpost.com/2010/10/china-rejects-clean-energy-probe-calls.html
Oct. 1, 2010
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