[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 167 (Wednesday, August 28, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45125-45127]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-18557]



[[Page 45125]]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-570-980]


Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled 
Into Modules, From the People's Republic of China: Final Results of 
Countervailing Duty Administrative Review and Rescission of Review, in 
Part; 2016

AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, 
Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) determines that 
exporters and/or producers subject to the administrative review of 
crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into 
modules (solar cells) from the People's Republic of China (China), 
received countervailable subsidies during the period of review (POR) 
January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016.

DATES: Applicable August 28, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gene H. Calvert, AD/CVD Operations, 
Office VII, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: (202) 482-3586.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Commerce published the Preliminary Results of this administrative 
review in the Federal Register on February 20, 2019.\1\ We invited 
interested parties to comment on the Preliminary Results.
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    \1\ See Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not 
Assembled Into Modules, from the People's Republic of China: 
Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review and 
Intent to Rescind the Review, in Part; 2016 (February 20, 2019) 
(Preliminary Results).
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    On May 23, 2019, we extended the deadline for issuing the final 
results of this administrative review to August 19, 2019.\2\ On August 
1, 2019, we received timely filed case briefs from the following 
interested parties: SolarWorld Americas, Inc. (the petitioner); the 
Government of China (the GOC); Canadian Solar, Inc. (Canadian Solar); 
and Jinko Solar Import & Export Co., Ltd. (Jinko Solar).\3\ On this 
same day, Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd., a non-selected 
company subject to this administrative review, submitted a letter in 
lieu of a case brief.\4\
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    \2\ See Memorandum, ``Administrative Review of the 
Countervailing Duty Order on Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, 
Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, from the People's Republic of 
China; 2016: Extension of Deadline for the Final Results,'' dated 
May 23, 2019.
    \3\ See, Petitioner's Letter, ``Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic 
Cells, Whether or not Assembled into Modules from the People's 
Republic of China: Case Brief,'' dated August 1, 2019; GOC's Letter, 
``GOC Administrative Case Brief: Fifth Administrative Review of the 
Countervailing Duty Order on Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, 
Whether or not Assembled into Modules from the People's Republic of 
China (C-570-980),'' dated August 1, 2019; Canadian Solar's Letter, 
``Administrative Review of the Countervailing Duty Order on 
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled 
into Modules from the People's Republic of China: Case Brief,'' 
dated August 1, 2019; and Jinko Solar's Letter, ``Antidumping 
{sic{time}  Duty Order on Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, 
Whether or Not Assembled into Modules: Jinko's Case Brief,'' dated 
August 1, 2019.
    \4\ See Trina Solar's Letter, ``Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic 
Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules from the People's 
Republic of China: Letter in Lieu of Case Brief,'' dated August 1, 
2019.
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    On August 6, 2019, we received timely filed rebuttal briefs from 
the petitioner, the GOC, Canadian Solar, and Jinko Solar.\5\ Also on 
August 6, 2019, BYD (Shangluo) Industrial Co., Ltd. (BYD Shangluo) and 
Shanghai BYD Co., Ltd. (collectively, BYD Companies), which are non-
selected companies that are subject to this administrative review, 
collectively submitted a letter in lieu of a rebuttal brief.\6\ For a 
detailed history of the events that occurred since the Preliminary 
Results, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.\7\
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    \5\ See Petitioner's Letter, ``Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic 
Cells, Whether or Not Assembled into Modules from the People's 
Republic of China: Rebuttal Brief,'' dated August 6, 2019; GOC's 
Letter, ``GOC Administrative Case Brief: Fifth Administrative Review 
of the Countervailing Duty Order on Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic 
Cells, Whether or not Assembled into Modules from the People's 
Republic of China (C-570-980), dated August 6, 2019; Canadian 
Solar's Letter, ``Administrative Review of the Countervailing Duty 
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled 
into Modules from the People's Republic of China: Rebuttal Case 
Brief,'' dated August 6, 2019; and Jinko Solar's Letter, 
``Antidumping {sic{time}  Duty Order on Crystalline Silicon 
Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled into Modules: Jinko's 
Rebuttal Brief,'' dated August 6, 2019.
    \6\ See BYD Companies' Letter, ``Crystalline Silicon 
Photovoltaic Cells, Whether Or Not Assembled Into Modules, from the 
People's Republic of China (2016 Review): Letter in Lieu of Rebuttal 
Brief,'' dated August 6, 2019.
    \7\ See Memorandum, ``Decision Memorandum for Final Results of 
Countervailing Duty Administrative Review: Crystalline Silicon 
Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, from the 
People's Republic of China,'' dated concurrently with, and hereby 
adopted by, this notice (Issues and Decision Memorandum).
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Scope of the Order

    The products covered by this countervailing duty (CVD) order are 
solar cells from China. A full description of the scope of the order is 
contained in the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

Analysis of Comments Received

    All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs by interested 
parties are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. The Issues 
and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file 
electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and 
Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic System (ACCESS). ACCESS is 
available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov, and is 
available to all parties in the Central Records Unit, Room B8024 of the 
main Commerce Building. In addition, a complete version of the Issues 
and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed Issues and Decision Memorandum 
and its electronic version are identical in content.
    A list of the issues raised by interested parties, and to which we 
responded in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, is attached as the 
appendix to this notice.

Changes From the Preliminary Results

    Based on our analysis of the comments received, Commerce made 
certain revisions to the CVD subsidy rates calculated for Canadian 
Solar and Jinko Solar (the mandatory company respondents). The Issues 
and Decision Memorandum contains descriptions of these revisions.

Methodology

    Commerce conducted this review in accordance with section 
751(a)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). For each 
of the subsidy programs found to be countervailable, we find that there 
is a subsidy, i.e., a financial contribution from a government or 
public entity that gives rise to a benefit to the recipient, and that 
the subsidy is specific.\8\ For a full description of the methodology 
underlying all of Commerce's conclusions, including any determination 
that relied upon the use of facts available pursuant to sections 776(a) 
and (b) of the Act, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.
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    \8\ See section 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding financial 
contribution; section 771(5)(E) of the Act regarding benefit; and 
section 771(5A) of the Act regarding specificity.
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Partial Rescission of Administrative Review

    As noted in the Preliminary Results, Commerce received a timely 
filed no-shipments certification from BYD Shangluo. Commerce inquired 
with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as to whether BYD 
Shangluo shipped merchandise subject to this review to

[[Page 45126]]

the United States during the POR. In response to our inquiry, CBP 
informed Commerce that it found no evidence of shipments concerning 
subject merchandise that were produced and/or exported by BYD Shangluo 
to the United States during the POR. Based on the no-shipments 
certification submitted by BYD Shangluo, and CBP's response to our no-
shipments inquiry, we are rescinding this review with respect to BYD 
Shangluo in accordance with 19 CFR 351.213(d)(3).

Final Results of Administrative Review

    In accordance with section 777A(e) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.221(b)(5), we calculated a countervailable subsidy rate for the two 
mandatory respondents, Canadian Solar and Jinko Solar. For the non-
selected companies subject to this review, we followed our practice, 
which is to base the subsidy rates on an average of the subsidy rates 
calculated for those companies selected for individual review, 
excluding de minimis rates or rates based entirely on adverse facts 
available.\9\ In this case, for the non-selected companies, we 
calculated a rate by weight-averaging the calculated subsidy rates of 
the two mandatory respondents using their publicly-ranged sales data 
for exports of subject merchandise to the United States during the POR. 
We find the countervailable subsidy rates for the producers/exporters 
under review to be as follows:
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    \9\ See, e.g., Certain Pasta from Italy: Preliminary Results of 
the 13th (2008) Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, 75 FR 
18806, 18811 (April 13, 2010), unchanged in Certain Pasta from 
Italy: Final Results of the 13th (2008) Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Review, 75 FR 37386 (June 29, 2010); see also Issues 
and Decision Memorandum at the section, ``Non-Selected Companies 
Under Review.''
    \10\ Cross-owned affiliates are: Canadian Solar Inc.; Canadian 
Solar Manufacturing (Luoyang) Inc.; Canadian Solar Manufacturing 
(Changshu) Inc.; CSI Cells Co., Ltd.; CSI Solar Power (China) Inc. 
(name was changed to CSI Solar Power Group Co., Ltd. in December 
2016); CSI Solartronics (Changshu) Co., Ltd.; CSI Solar Technologies 
Inc.; CSI New Energy Holding Co., Ltd. (name was CSI Solar 
Manufacture Inc. until July 2015); CSI-GCL Solar Manufacturing 
(Yancheng) Co., Ltd.; Changshu Tegu New Materials Technology Co., 
Ltd.; Changshu Tlian Co., Ltd.; and Suzhou Sanysolar Materials 
Technology Co., Ltd.
    \11\ Cross-owned affiliates are: Jinko Solar Import and Export 
Co., Ltd.; Jinko Solar Co., Ltd.; Zhejiang Jinko Solar Co., Ltd.; 
Jinko Solar (Shanghai) Management Co., Ltd.; Jiangxi Jinko 
Photovoltaic Materials Co., Ltd.; and Xinjiang Jinko Solar Co., Ltd.

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                    Company                       Subsidy rate (percent)
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Canadian Solar Inc. and Cross-Owned Affiliates                      9.70
 \10\..........................................
Jinko Solar Import and Export Co., Ltd. and                        12.76
 Cross-Owned Affiliates \11\...................
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    Review-Specific Rate Applicable to the Non-Selected Companies 
Subject to this Review:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Subsidy rate (percent
               Producer/exporter                       ad valorem)
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Baoding Jiasheng Photovoltaic Technology Co.,                      11.81
 Ltd...........................................
Baoding Tianwei Yingli New Energy Resources                        11.81
 Co., Ltd......................................
Beijing Tianneng Yingli New Energy Resources                       11.81
 Co., Ltd......................................
Canadian Solar (USA) Inc.......................                    11.81
Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd..........                    11.81
Changzhou Trina Solar Yabang Energy Co., Ltd...                    11.81
Chint Solar (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd................                    11.81
Dongguan Sunworth Solar Energy Co., Ltd........                    11.81
ERA Solar Co. Limited..........................                    11.81
ET Solar Energy Limited........................                    11.81
Hainan Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd....                    11.81
Hangzhou Sunny Energy Science and Technology                       11.81
 Co., Ltd......................................
Hengdian Group DMEGC Magnetics Co., Ltd........                    11.81
Hengshui Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd..                    11.81
JA Solar Technology Yangzhou Co., Ltd..........                    11.81
JA Technology Yangzhou Co., Ltd................                    11.81
Jiangsu High Hope Int'l Group..................                    11.81
Jiawei Solarchina (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd..........                    11.81
Jiawei Solarchina Co., Ltd.....................                    11.81
JingAo Solar Co., Ltd..........................                    11.81
Jinko Solar (U.S.) Inc.........................                    11.81
Jinko Solar International Limited..............                    11.81
Lightway Green New Energy Co., Ltd.............                    11.81
Lixian Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd....                    11.81
Luoyang Suntech Power Co., Ltd.................                    11.81
Nice Sun PV Co., Ltd...........................                    11.81
Ningbo Qixin Solar Electrical Appliance Co.,                       11.81
 Ltd...........................................
Risen Energy Co., Ltd..........................                    11.81
Shanghai BYD Co., Ltd..........................                    11.81
Shanghai JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd..........                    11.81
Shenzhen Glory Industries Co., Ltd.............                    11.81
Shenzhen Topray Solar Co., Ltd.................                    11.81
Sumec Hardware & Tools Co., Ltd................                    11.81
Systemes Versilis, Inc.........................                    11.81
Taizhou BD Trade Co., Ltd......................                    11.81
tenKsolar (Shanghai) Co., Ltd..................                    11.81
Tianjin Yingli New Energy Resources Co., Ltd...                    11.81

[[Page 45127]]

 
Toenergy Technology Hangzhou Co., Ltd..........                    11.81
Trina Solar (Changzhou) Science & Technology                       11.81
 Co., Ltd......................................
Wuxi Suntech Power Co., Ltd....................                    11.81
Yancheng Trina Solar Energy Technology Co., Ltd                    11.81
Yingli Energy (China) Co., Ltd.................                    11.81
Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited....                    11.81
Yingli Green Energy International Trading                          11.81
 Company Limited...............................
Zhejiang Era Solar Technology Co., Ltd.........                    11.81
Zhejiang Sunflower Light Energy Science &                          11.81
 Technology Limited Liability Company..........
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Disclosure

    We will disclose to the parties in this proceeding the calculations 
performed for these final results within five days of publication of 
this notice in the Federal Register.\12\
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    \12\ See 19 CFR 351.224(b).
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Assessment Rates

    Consistent with 19 CFR 351.212(b)(2), we intend to issue assessment 
instructions to CBP 15 days after the date of publication of these 
final results of review, to liquidate shipments of subject merchandise 
produced and/or exported by the companies listed above, entered, or 
withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after January 1, 2016 
through December 31, 2016, at the ad valorem rates listed above.

Cash Deposit Instructions

    In accordance with section 751(a)(1) of the Act, we intend to 
instruct CBP to collect cash deposits of estimated countervailing 
duties in the amounts shown for each of the respective companies listed 
above. These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in 
effect until further notice.

Administrative Protective Order (APO)

    This notice also serves as a reminder to parties subject to APO of 
their responsibility concerning the destruction of proprietary 
information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 
351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of the return or destruction 
of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby 
requested. Failure to comply with the regulations of an APO is a 
sanctionable violation.

Notification to Interested Parties

    We are issuing and publishing these final results in accordance 
with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act.

    Dated: August 19, 2019.
Jeffrey I. Kessler,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. List of Interested Party Comments
IV. Scope of the Order
V. Changes Since the Preliminary Results
VI. Partial Rescission of Administrative Review
VII. Non-Selected Companies Under Review
VIII. Subsidies Valuation Information
IX. Use of Facts Available and Adverse Inferences
X. Programs Determined to be Countervailable
XI. Programs Determined to be Not Used or Not to Confer a Measurable 
Benefit During the POR
XII. Analysis of Comments
    Comment 1: Export Buyer's Credit Program
    Comment 2: Provision of Aluminum Extrusions for Less Than 
Adequate Remuneration (LTAR)
    Comment 3: Provision of Electricity for LTAR
    Comment 4: Solar Grade Polysilicon Benchmark
    Comment 5: Solar Glass Benchmark
    Comment 6: Land Benchmark
    Comment 7: Ocean Freight Benchmark
    Comment 8: Commerce's Use of ``Zeroing'' in Benefit Calculations
    Comment 9: Creditworthiness
    Comment 10: Calculation Methodology for Canadian Solar's Subsidy 
Rate
    Comment 11: Canadian Solar's Denominator for the Golden Sun 
Program
    Comment 12: Entered Value Adjustment Regarding Canadian Solar
    Comment 13: Clerical Errors in Canadian Solar's Benefit 
Calculations
XIII. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2019-18557 Filed 8-27-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P