German experts: China PV product dumping does not exist
German Solar Market Research Center Director Wolfgang? Hummel said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua, China PV products have a cost advantage, and dumping. If China PV enterprises have their own government subsidy, then, German PV enterprises also won the support of local government.
In July this year, SolarWorld German solar giant European countries more than 20 photovoltaic enterprises will be a paper petition submitted to the EU, accusing China PV enterprises receive government subsidies, and dumping of products at low prices to europe. In September 6th, the European Commission announced on China PV product anti-dumping investigation.
Hummel thinks, accused Chinese companies of dumping is not reasonable, in fact, Germany photovoltaic enterprise will get the support of the government. According to him, there is no government subsidies, SolarWorld also won't have today's development. Between 2003 and 2011, the company received a total of about 137000000 euros in subsidies from the government, the majority of support from government, photovoltaic enterprise development investment subsidies which 35%. In addition, there are some difficult to prove the subsidies, such as scientific research fund, national security.
Hummel said, SolarWorld over the years has been the big boss, the German PV market growth is strong, good. But the company underestimated the speed of development, Chinese counterparts, all of a sudden, the German market leader began to lose money. The person in charge of the enterprise does not think it is because of the high cost, lack of innovation, but blame China, think that if Chinese enterprises did not obtain subsidies from the government, they would like to maintain profitability.
Hummel said, such accusations without reason, just like in the Olympic Games, people found that more and more good performance of Chinese athletes, but not because someone better is accusing his opponent of unfair competition.
Talked of German enterprise disadvantage, Hummel said, the labor cost is higher in Germany, employees are not willing to work overtime, lack of flexibility, in addition, the German power, land, aluminum, glass and other prices are a lot higher than china. Comprehensive calculation, solar battery German template production costs are too high, is not to be compared with china. In addition, from the view of corporate finance, German companies choose to bank loans, and many Chinese PV companies have been listed on NASDAQ in the United States and other capital markets, financing advantages.
Unlike the car products, solar cell and stencil manufacturing is not complicated, Chinese and German manufactured product quality difference, "then why do people spend 20% money, buy the size, energy efficiency is not more than Chinese products of High German template?" asked Hu Meier.
Hummel says frankly, Chinese exports to the success of Germany photovoltaic products with Germany and Switzerland exports to China PV production equipment. Before 2011, Germany and Switzerland exports a lot of photovoltaic production equipment to China, today, China will be the production of photovoltaic battery and other products sold back to Germany "is very normal, this is a trade". "Equipment manufacturers earn money to China, does not let the Chinese products. After sell back, this is wrong," he said, "should be free trade, the use of comparative advantage, all will benefit."
Hummel also said, some bankruptcy Germany photovoltaic enterprise "planted" in thin film solar template, they should invest in this regard, although in the laboratory successfully, but failed to achieve mass production. This is the company's strategy is wrong, and competition from China has little relationship.
In fact, the German like Solarworld production lines put not already many firms in Germany, to the most of foreign PV enterprises have production line, or directly to the solar cells imported from China as raw materials and processing.
Hummel said, according to EU regulations, accused of China PV enterprises dumping EU enterprises capacity required to achieve the European Photovoltaic Industry 25%, Solarworld had a lot of effort to fill this proportion, because many companies do not want to accuse China, they need to be able to batteries, cheap products from China imported solar.
"The EU decision China products are dumping should show the Chinese photovoltaic products export price lower than the market price, and in fact, some did not export trade enterprise product price is lower than that of foreign product prices," Hummel said, "in addition, determining dumping an important condition is the result of the EU, for favorable overall, if will cause unnecessary trade war, the EU will not judge dumping."
The EU will ultimately decide about that, Hummel, I am afraid to development as the European debt crisis. The economy is not HERSHEY'S, some populist politicians will support the imposition of tariffs, vowed to keep jobs at home, at least in the United States is the case. So, the European debt crisis more deeply, the European unemployment rate is high, the possibility of imposing tariffs on China PV enterprises have more.
In addition, Hummel said, it is undeniable, China has a cost advantage in the labor, raw materials and other aspects, even if the European Union on China PV enterprises to levy tariffs, the tax ratio is not more than 20%. "The United States accuses China is not a market economy, so choose the Thailand third as a reference, but Thailand has no PV industry, this is ridiculous, we can't do it," he said, "so, even if the EU tariffs will not be too high."
The China-EU trade disputes involving an amount of more than $20000000000, is the largest in the history of anti-dumping case. German Chancellor Angela Merkel in 8 at the end of the visit to China made clear that, against the EU to impose punitive tariffs, because the dispute may be further expanded, eventually lead to a lose-lose situation. Hummel this view very identity.
Hummel said, to Germany and the EU, to levy tariffs on Chinese products is not good, product prices could lead to reduced demand, thus affecting the employment market. The tariff is undoubtedly the "win-win" into a "lose-lose". "To be sure, to impose punitive tariffs on Chinese products are good for Germany will not, because the market will be destroyed," he said, "and the" energy transformation "of the road may become longer."
Hu Meier put forward, many Germans is because they do not believe the Chinese manufacturing industry progress, will feel that Chinese enterprises because of government subsidies to success. "So to solve the problem, people should explain, let those who do not understand people know, Chinese products have is not the same as before."