Wyden talks trade, urges level playing field

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., testified Monday before the International Trade Commission to ensure fair trade practices and a level playing field for Oregon workers and businesses, including SolarWorld.

The commission is examining the impact of unfair trade practices by Chinese and Taiwanese businesses as a result of a trade case filed by SolarWorld.

The Oregon-based business successfully demonstrated that China was providing illegal subsidies to its solar producers, and filed a second case with the ITC after Chinese companies evaded tariffs imposed by the U.S. Department of Commerce by obtaining solar panel parts from Taiwan.

“The solar industry is an anchor of Oregon’s manufacturing base and is a central driver of Oregon’s innovation economy. It supports high-skill, high-wage jobs that are critical to helping attract investment and new economic opportunities for the 21 st century economy,” Wyden said.

“When I visited SolarWorld three years ago, I sounded the alarm,” the senator said. “I said that China was taking America’s manufacturing jobs, and the trade laws needed to be enforced. I am back today to ask that this commission secure the integrity of its original findings and conclude that Chinese and Taiwanese unfair trade has resulted in material injury and threatens additional material injury to U.S. producers, including those in Oregon.”

Wyden has testified in similar cases in an effort to enforce U.S. trade laws to protectbusinesses and their workers. SolarWorld recently announced it would expand its Hillsboro operations, saying it could do so in part because of trade remedies following the commission’s decision in the first trade case.

Listen to an audio clip of Wyden’s testimony here and read his full remarks here, as prepared for delivery.