Not So Sunny: PRC Invokes Anti-Dumping for Polysilicon

(Photo: China Daily)

Only July 18, 2013, the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China issued announcement No. 48,2013 which laid out the results of its year-long anti-dumping investigation into imports of solar-grade polysilicon originating in the U.S.A. and the Republic of Korea. The report concluded that:

It is preliminarily ruled by the Investigation Authority that, during the investigation period of this case, the products under investigation were involved in dumping and the solar-Grade polysilicon industry of China was materially injured, and there was causality between the dumping and injury. (Ministry of Commerce Website)

New tariffs range from 53-57% for U.S. companies and from 2.4-48 % for South Korean companies. The new tariffs are aimed at solar-grade polysilicon; electronic-grade polysilicon is not covered. Solar market research and analysis organization, Solarbuzz states that in 2012 China accounted for 76% of the world’s solar wafer production, and produced 40% of the world’s polysilicon. Sources say falling prices of foreign- produced product forced Chinese manufactures to seek protection under anti-dumping regulations. Polysilicon, due to its semiconductor-like properties is used as a basic material in most solar energy applications.

PRC Ministry of Commerce Announcement No. 48 http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/article/policyrelease/buwei/201308/20130800224101.shtml

Background from Solarbuzz: http://www.displaysearchblog.com/2012/05/growing-polysilicon-imports-and-falling-prices-provide-chinese-solar-manufacturers-with-anti-dumping-fodder/

China (PRC)-Japan Tourism Shows Continued Decline

The Japan Tourism Marketing Company records a steady decline of visitors from the People’s Republic of China to Japan. The June 2013 numbers show a 21.4% decrease compared with the same period in 2012. Meanwhile the number of visitors from Taiwan shows an increase of 80.4% while Singapore posts a 64.1% increase over the same one-year period. Tourism from Korea was also up a healthy 39%. This week’s question: Will PRC tourists return to Japan any time soon, or will the political climate have to improve significantly before the numbers start to go up? Post your comments below.

Japan Tourism Marketing Co. (Visitor Data April 2013) http://www.tourism.jp/en/statistics/

Chen Kaige To Head 26th Tokyo International Film Festival

Chen Toronto IFF.jpg

(Photo: Toronto International Film Festival)

by David Parmer

Chinese director Chen Kaige has been tapped to act as Jury President at the 26^th Tokyo International Film Festival to be held from October 17- 25, 2013 in Tokyo’s Roppongi Hills complex. Chen, a member of the so-called “fifth generation” (1980s) of Chinese filmmakers is best known for his films “Raise The Red Lantern,” (1991) and “Farewell My Concubine” (1993), both films having received wide international recognition. “Farewell My Concubine” was nominated for two academy awards and received the Palme d’Or at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival.

In a piece published online in the Hollywood Interview, Chen was asked about working with talent from Japan, Korea and China during the filming of The Promise, a 2005 wuxia (martial arts) film:

“It wasn’t that difficult. It’s always been my dream to work with the best talents from different countries in Asia. I don’t mean that politically, but if you look at the history of these three countries, it’s very complicated. I think at least that if we show we can work together as artists, when the politicians are fighting against each other, we’ll show what we can do. We’ll show our dream of a peaceful future for Asia.”

The 26^th TIFF will open with “Captain Philips” and close with “The Kiyosu Conference.”

TIFF Official website: http://tiff.yahoo.co.jp/2013/en/

Hollywood Interview-Chen Kaige: http://thehollywoodinterview.blogspot.jp/2008/03/chen-kaige-hollywood-interview.html

China Offers Subsidy For Purchase of Electric Cars

China’s CCTV reported on June 29, 2013 that the central government and the Beijing government would subsidize the purchase of 500 electric vehicles for qualified first-time buyers. The EV150, manufactured by BAIC Motor Vehicle Company Ltd., sells for 250,000 RMB. Subsidies would be 60,000 RMB from the central government, matched by another 60,000 RMB by Beijing, and another 20,000 RMB from the automaker. This week’s question : If you got what amounts to a 50% subsidy on the purchase price, would you buy an electric vehicle? Why or why not? Post your answer here.

America’s Hottest New (Electric) Car Heads To China

Tesla Model- S.jpg (Photo: Tesla Motors, USA)

by David Parmer

Soon affluent Chinese motorists will have a chance to test and purchase America’s hottest new car, the Tesla Model S. The Model S has gotten rave reviews from America’s top auto magazine Road and Track as well as from Consumer Reports, one of the country’s leading product review journals. Positioned as a luxury sedan and priced at $70,000 (USA) and being an electric vehicle, the Tesla Model S, might not be the car for everyone. While the questions of power and range have been addressed, the sticking point still remains the lack of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. In the USA, charging can be done at home, but in many places (Hong Kong and Beijing for example) people tend to live in high-rise buildings which makes home charging problematic.

In addition, Tesla is not having a smooth entry into the Chinese market due to a copyright battle with a Chinese concern which has registered the Tesla name, and has set a selling price that Tesla will not meet. As a work-around,Tesla is reported to be changing the name to “Tuosule” for the mainland China market.

Tesla has also paid attention to the localization of its product. In China, people who can afford to buy and operate a luxury sedan usually have someone else drive it for them. One of the Tesla Model S’ strong points, however, is that it is a “driver’s car.” That is, the experience of the vehicle is really fully understood by driving it. Perhaps styling, scarcity value and cutting-edge technology will counter this and keep its attractiveness quotient high among prospective buyers. Tesla is also looking at modifying the rear seating area to accommodate wealthy owners who are being driven rather than driving. Marketing seems to be supporting its appeal to the newly-affluent by placing its Beijing showroom in an upscale building surrounded by luxury brand shops.

Road & Track Magazine,Tesla Model S: http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-reviews/road-tests/road-test-2013-tesla-model-s?src=soc_fcbks

Consumer reports highest-scoring car: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2013/05/video-the-tesla-model-s-is-our-top-scoring-car/index.htm

China-Viet Nam Diplomacy. What’s up?

This summer has seen three rounds of high level talks between Chinese and Vietnamese leadership. Both countries have long- standing issues and interests to be solved diplomatically, for example the islands claimed by both countries (and others) in the South China Sea, and expanding cross border trade. So why the efforts to shore-up their relationship now? What is on the short and long term horizon that has created a sense of urgency? Or is this just normal diplomatic activity? Please post your thoughts below.

China-Viet Nam Rev-Up Diplomacy in Summer 2013

Dinh The Huynh-Liu Qibao meet on July 26, 2013

by David Parmer

Summer 2013 has seen a series of high-level meetings between China and Viet Nam. China’s Xinhua New Agency reported on June 20 that Chinese President Xi Jinping in meetings with visiting Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang on June 19th said that China and Viet Nam should “unswervingly march together along the path of friendly cooperation.” Both presidents agreed to strengthen bilateral strategic cooperation by:

Maintaining high-level contacts
Promoting pragmatic cooperation in all fields
Strengthening economic developments
Making efforts to reach a goal of $60 billion in trade before 2015

A second round of high-level meetings was held in Beijing on July 26. Viet Nam News published a report on July 27 that the head of China’s Central Committee’s Propaganda Department Liu Qibao met with the head of the Communist Party of Viet Nam’s (CPV) Central Committee Commission for Popularization and Education Dinh The Huynh. Both parties agreed to work to “cement cooperation between the two sides to enhance understanding, mutual trust and friendship between the two peoples.

And finally, on August 6, 2013, a Than Nien News story said that the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, Mr. Pham Binh Minh met with his Chinese Counterpart Wang Yi in Hanoi on August 4. Minister Minh was quoted as saying both sides should persist in addressing disputes “on the basis of the Viet Nam- China agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues” and on international law.The report also said the two FMs also discussed measures to speed up the implementation of agreements, especially the action plan to realize a Viet Nam-China comprehensive strategic co-operative partnership.

Is it time to learn Chinese?

There is an ongoing worldwide boom in Chinese language learning. The emergence of China an an economic and political superpower in the late 20th and early 21st century has pushed having a knowledge of Chinese language and culture to the forefront. This century will see the facing off of two linguistic giants, English and Chinese. How this will play out is anyone’s guess. Perhaps English will become the de-facto language of business and diplomacy while Chinese will become the international languge of the arts and culture. This is not so far fetched if one considers the dominance of Chinese modern art. But truly, anything is possible. So what do you think, do you have any need or desire to learn Chinese? Please post your thoughts below.

Photo: Joseph Pitz via flickr

Diayou/Senkaku Question: Older and Wiser?

During his historic 1978 trip to Japan, Deng Xiaoping was asked about the question of the Daiyou/Senkaku islands. Deng replied that the question should be put aside so that later and wiser generations could solve this problem. Essentially the same answer was given a few years earlier by Premier Zhou Enlai to Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka during Tanaka’s China visit. So, 35 years have passed, and the question seems to be: while this is certainly a later generation, is it a wiser generation? Is the islands question being handled by those of vision and wisdom taking the long view of history? Or is it something else? What do you think of the way this question is being handled by both sides? Post your comments below.

Deng Xiaoping’s Visit to Japan+35 Years

Deng in Japan.jpg

(Photo: China Daily)

October 22, 2013 will mark the 35^th anniversary of then Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping’s historic visit to Japan. Deng was the first Chinese leader in history to set foot in Japan and the first to meet her emperor.

Deng’s visit was an official goodwill visit made at the request of the Japanese government. One of his first duties during this groundbreaking trip on October 23, 1978 was to attend the ceremony with Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda to exchange instruments of ratification for the Sino-Japanese Peace and Friendship Treaty. (See photo below)

Professor Ezra Vogel in his mammoth work, Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China (2011) states that many Japanese felt that helping China modernize was a way of apologizing for Japan’s past behavior. Throughout the trip many references were made to unfortunate 20^th century events, which meant the war-years period from 1937 until 1945. Deng Xiaoping emphasized the long view, noting that China and Japan had a 2000-year history of cultural relations that included shared linguist elements, architecture and the philosophy of Buddhism.

During his 1978 visit Deng met Japanese from all spheres from the emperor to private citizens, politicians and business leaders. He also rode aboard the Shinkansen and visited Kyoto and Nara. Among the business leaders he met were Konosuke Matsushita and the chairman of Nissan Motors, Kawamata Katsuji.

In Vogel’s book Deng is pictured as enthusiastic about Japan’s progress, the role of management in creating Japan’s postwar miracle and the benefits of capitalism as seen in the quality of life of ordinary Japanese citizens. Deng readily admitted that China had much of value to learn from postwar Japan.

At a press conference Deng was asked about the Diaoyu/Senkaku issue. He answered that the issue should be put aside so that later and wiser generations could solve the problem. It should be noted that a few years earlier, essentially the same answer was given by then Premier Zhou Enlai to Japan’s Prime Minister, Kakuei Tanaka.

Looking back 35 years, we can see a time when optimism and forward thinking characterized China-Japan relations. The question is now what will it take to get relations back on track? Nationalism and emotion-driven national policy was not what statesmen and leaders in both countries had in mind back in 1978.

Deng In Japan II.jpg

(Photo: China Daily)