Letter to the Honorable Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce, Mr. Stephen Vaughn, Acting U.S. Trade Representative - China-U.S. Trade Dispute

Letter

Dear Secretary Ross and Acting Trade Representative Vaughn:

I write regarding the long standing trade dispute between the United States and the People's Republic of China related to Chinese-produced photovoltaic solar panels and U.S.-produced polysilicon. It is critical that this issue is resolved as quickly as possible to protect U.S. manufacturing jobs in Butte, Montana, and elsewhere in the U.S. I urge you to ensure this issue is included in any negotiations with China related to the "100 day plan" that was announced following the summit between President Donald J. Trump and President Xi Jinping earlier this month.

As you may know, polysilicon is an essential input for solar panels and semiconductors and U.S. polysilicon manufacturers have long been net exporters. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing dispute, access to China's market has been severely restricted. Ensuring that U.S. polysilicon manufacturers have fair access to China's market and are able to compete on a level-playing field is of critical importance and has the potential to increase U.S. exports by hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

As you move forward in developing your priorities for the "100 day plan", I request that you make the resolution of this dispute a priority. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to your prompt response.

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