[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 48 (Monday, March 11, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17411-17413]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-05066]
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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: Notice of Court
Decision Not in Harmony With the Final Results of Countervailing Duty
Administrative Review; Notice of Amended Final Results
AGENCY: Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: On February 29, 2024, the U.S. Court of International Trade
(CIT) issued its final judgment in Risen Energy Co. v. United States,
Consol. Court no. 22-00231, sustaining the U.S. Department of
Commerce's (Commerce) first remand results pertaining to the
administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on
crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into
modules (solar cells) from the People's Republic of China (China)
covering the period January 1, 2019 through, December 31, 2019.
Commerce is notifying the public that the CIT's final judgment is not
in harmony with Commerce's final results of the administrative review,
and that Commerce is amending the final results with respect to the
countervailable subsidy rates assigned to JA Solar Technology Yangzhou
Co., Ltd. (JA
[[Page 17412]]
Solar) and Risen Energy Co., Ltd. (Risen).
DATES: Applicable March 10, 2024.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lingjun Wang, 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) 482-3642.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On July 7, 2022, Commerce published its final results in the 2019
CVD administrative review of solar cells from China,\1\ in which
Commerce: (1) found that JA Solar and Risen used the Export Buyer's
Credit program (EBCP); \2\ (2) determined that the Tax Exemptions Under
the Article 26(2) of the Enterprise Income Tax Law Program (Article
26(2) Tax Program) is de jure specific; \3\ (3) relied on an average of
Thai and Malaysian data as a tier three benchmark for the provision of
land for less than adequate remuneration (LTAR); \4\ and (4) relied on
an average of Xeneta and Descartes datasets as a tier two benchmark for
ocean freight for several LTAR subsidy calculations.\5\
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\1\ See Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not
Assembled into Modules, from the People's Republic of China: Final
Results and Partial Rescission of Countervailing Duty Administrative
Review; 2019, 87 FR 40491 (July 7, 2022) (Final Results), and
accompanying Issues and Decision Memorandum (IDM).
\2\ Id. at Comment 1.
\3\ Id. at Comment 20.
\4\ Id. at Comment 17.
\5\ Id. at Comment 7.
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On August 15 and September 12, 2022, Commerce published the Amended
Final Results \6\ and Corrections,\7\ respectively, correcting certain
ministerial errors and inadvertent errors in the Final Results.
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\6\ See Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not
Assembled into Modules, from the People's Republic of China: Notice
of Amended Final Results Countervailing Duty Administrative Review;
2019, 87 FR 50069 (August 15, 2022) (Amended Final Results).
\7\ See Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not
Assembled into Modules, from the People's Republic of China: Final
Results and Partial Rescission of Countervailing Duty Administrative
Review; 2019 and Notice of Amended Final Results of Countervailing
Duty Review, 2019; Corrections, 87 FR 55782 (September 12, 2022)
(Corrections).
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Risen and JA Solar appealed Commerce's Final Results/Amended Final
Results. On October 11, 2023, the CIT remanded the Final Results/
Amended Final Results to Commerce.\8\ The CIT ordered Commerce to: (1)
consider Risen's untimely non-use certification, and to attempt to
verify the Risen's and JA Solar's non-use certifications to the extent
that verification does not overly burden voluntary participants; \9\
(2) remove the Article 26(2) Tax Program from its subsidy rate for
Risen; \10\ (3) reconsider Commerce's land for LTAR calculation
consistent with the CIT's holdings in Risen II, in which the CIT found
that the use of the Thai data is insufficiently explained to meet the
substantial evidence standard; \11\ and (4) reconsider whether it
remains appropriate to use Descartes data for purposes of this
review.\12\
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\8\ See Remand Order, 658 F. Supp. 3d at 1371-79.
\9\ Id., 658 F. Supp. 3d at 1372.
\10\ See Remand Order, 658 F. Supp. 3d at 1373.
\11\ Id. at 1375 (citing Risen Energy Co. v. United States,
Consol. Court No. 20-03912, Slip Op. 23-48 (CIT April 11, 2023)
(Risen II)).
\12\ See Remand Order, 658 F. Supp. 3d at 1378.
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On remand, Commerce requested that Risen submit on the record the
non-use certification which was found to be untimely in the underlying
review.\13\ Risen complied with Commerce's request.\14\ On December 12,
2023, Commerce issued its Draft Remand Results; \15\ only JA Solar
submitted comments.\16\
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\13\ See Commerce's Letter, ``Supplemental Questionnaire,''
dated November 27, 2023.
\14\ See Risen's Letter, ``Supplemental Questionnaire
Response,'' dated November 29, 2023.
\15\ See Draft Results of Remand Redetermination Pursuant to
Court Remand, Risen Energy Co., Ltd., et al. v. United States,
Consol. Court No. 22-00231, Slip Op. 23-148 (CIT October 11, 2023),
dated December 12, 2023 (Draft Remand Results).
\16\ See JA Solar's Letter, ``Comments on Draft Remand
Redetermination,'' dated December 21, 2023 (JA Solar Comments).
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In its remand redetermination, issued in January 2024,\17\ for both
companies, Commerce: (1) removed the EBCP from its overall subsidy rate
calculations; (2) removed Article 26(2) Tax program from its overall
subsidy rate calculations; (3) used the Malaysian data as the tier
three benchmark for the provision of land for LTAR given it is more
contemporaneous to the acquisition years of the land-use rights; and in
so doing, did not disturb the benefit streams calculated in the 2017
administrative review and carried forward to this review (i.e., 2019
administrative review); and (4) excluded Descartes data and relied
solely on Xeneta data as a tier two benchmark for ocean freight.
Consequently, Commerce has revised the subsidy benefit calculations for
Risen and JA Solar. The CIT sustained Commerce's final
redetermination.\18\
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\17\ See Final Results of Redetermination Pursuant to Court
Remand, Risen Energy Co., Ltd., et al. v. United States,
Consolidated Court No. 22-00231, Slip Op. 23-148 (CIT October 11,
2023), dated January 9, 2024 (Final Remand), available at https://access.trade.gov/resources/remands/23-148.pdf.
\18\ See Risen Energy Co., Ltd., et al. v. United States, Slip
Op. 24-25 (CIT 2024).
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Timken Notice
In its decision in Timken,\19\ as clarified by Diamond
Sawblades,\20\ the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit held
that, pursuant to section 516A(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended
(the Act), Commerce must publish a notice of court decision that is not
``in harmony'' with a Commerce determination and must suspend
liquidation of entries pending a ``conclusive'' court decision. The
CIT's February 29, 2024 judgment constitutes a final decision of the
Court that is not in harmony with Commerce's Final Results and Amended
Final Results. This notice is published in fulfillment of the
publication requirements of Timken.
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\19\ See Timken Co. v. United States, 893 F.2d 337 (Fed. Cir.
1990) (Timken).
\20\ See Diamond Sawblades Mfrs. Coalition v. United States, 626
F.3d 1374 (Fed. Cir. 2010) (Diamond Sawblades).
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Amended Final Results
Because there is now a final court decision, Commerce is amending
its Final Results and Amended Final Results with respect to Risen and
JA Solar as follows:
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Subsidy rate
Producer/exporter (percent ad
valorem)
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Risen Energy Co., Ltd.\21\.............................. 7.22
JA Solar Technology Yangzhou Co., Ltd.\22\.............. 10.04
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Cash Deposit Requirements
Because Risen and JA Solar have a superseding cash deposit rate,
i.e., there have been final results published in a subsequent
administrative review, Commerce will not issue revised cash deposit
instructions to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This notice
will not affect the current cash deposit rates.
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\21\ Risen is cross-owned with the following 12 companies: (1)
Risen (Luoyang) New Energy Co., Ltd.; (2) Risen (Wuhai) New Energy
Co., Ltd.; (3) Risen Energy (Changzhou) Co., Ltd.; (4) Risen Energy
(Yiwu) Co., Ltd.; (5) Zhejiang Boxin Investment Co., Ltd.; (6)
Zhejiang Twinsel Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. (7) JiuJiang
Shengchao Xinye Technology Co., Ltd. (including JiuJang Shengshao
Xinye Technology Co., Ltd. Ruichang Branch); (8) Jiangsu Sveck New
Material Co., Ltd.; (9) Changzhou Sveck Photovoltaic New Material
Co., Ltd.; (including Changzhou Sveck Photovoltaic New Material Co.,
Ltd. Jintan Danfeng Road Branch); (10) Changzhou Sveck New Material
Technology Co., Ltd. (including Changzhou Sveck Photovoltaic New
Material Co., Ltd. Jintan Danfeng Road Branch); (11) Ninghai Risen
Energy Power Development Co., Ltd.; and (12) Risen (Ningbo) Electric
Power Development Co., Ltd. See Final Results IDM at 10-11.
\22\ JA Solar is cross-owned with the following 34 companies:
(1) Shanghai JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd.; (2) JA (Hefei) Renewable
Energy Co., Ltd.; (3) Hefei JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd.; (4) JA
Solar Investment China Co., Ltd.; (5) Jing Hai Yang Semiconductor
Material (Donghai) Co., Ltd.; (6) Donghai JingAo Solar Energy
Science and Technology Co., Ltd. (JA Donghai); (7) Solar Silicon
Valley Electronic Science and Technology Co., Ltd.; (8) Beijing
Jinfeng Investment Co., Ltd.; (9) JingAo Solar Co., Ltd.; (10)
Ningjin Songgong Electronic Materials Co., Ltd.; (11) Jinglong
Industry and Commerce Group Co., Ltd.; (12) Ningjin County Jingyuan
New Energy Investment Co., Ltd.; (13) Hebei Jinglong New Materials
Technology Group Co., Ltd.; (14) Hebei Jinglong Sun Equipment Co.
Ltd.; (15) Hebei Jingle Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd.; (16)
Ningjin Jingxing Electronic Material Co., Ltd.; (17) Ningjin Saimei
Ganglong Electronic Materials Co., Ltd.; (18) Hebei Ningtong
Electronic Materials Co., Ltd.; (19) JA Solar (Xingtai) Co., Ltd.;
(20) Xingtai Jinglong Electronic Material Co., Ltd.; (21) Xingtai
Jinglong PV Materials Co., Ltd.; (22) JA PV Technology Co., Ltd.;
(23) Ningjin Jinglong PV Industry Investment Co., Ltd.; (24) Baotou
JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd.; (25) Xingtai Jinglong New Energy Co.,
Ltd.; (26) Ningjin County Jing Tai Fu Technology Co., Ltd.; (27) JA
Solar Technology Co., Ltd.; (28) Jinglong Technology Holdings Co.,
Ltd.; (29) Ningjin Guiguang Electronics Investment Co., Ltd.; (30)
Ningjin Longxin Investment Co., Ltd.; (31) Beijing JA Solar PV
Technology Co., Ltd.; (32) Solar Silicon Peak Electronic Science and
Technology Co., Ltd.; (33) Jingwei Electronic Materials Co., Ltd.;
and (34) Taicang Juren PV Material Co., Ltd. See Final Results IDM
at 9-10.
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[[Page 17413]]
Liquidation of Suspended Entries
At this time, Commerce remains enjoined by the CIT order from
liquidating entries that were produced and/or exported by Risen and JA
Solar, and were entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption
during the period January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2019. These
entries will remain enjoined pursuant to the terms of the injunction
during the pendency of any appeals process.
In the event the CIT's ruling is not appealed, or, if appealed,
upheld by a final and conclusive court decision, Commerce intends to
instruct CBP to assess countervailing duties on unliquidated entries of
subject merchandise produced and/or exported by Risen and JA Solar in
accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(b). We will instruct CBP to assess
countervailing duties on all appropriate entries covered by this review
when the ad valorem rate is not zero or de minimis. Where an ad valorem
subsidy rate is zero or de minimis,\23\ we will instruct CBP to
liquidate the appropriate entries without regard to countervailing
duties.
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\23\ See 19 CFR 351.106(c)(2).
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Notification to Interested Parties
This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections
516A(c) and (e), and 777(i)(1) of the Act.
Dated: March 5, 2024.
Ryan Majerus,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Negotiations, performing the
non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for
Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2024-05066 Filed 3-8-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P