(DailyFix.org) – During the 2016 presidential campaign, then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump promised to fight China’s unfair business practices and bring manufacturing back to America. During his administration, Trump slapped several tariffs on China for unfair practices involving labor and monetary manipulation that helped China gain an unfair economic advantage for manufacturing. One of the tariffs the former president created was a 30% solar import tariff. Soon after, LG Electronics announced it was building a solar manufacturing plant in Huntsville, Alabama.
Recently, President Joe Biden rescinded many of Trump’s tariffs. Among them was the one regarding solar manufacturing. Shortly after, LG Electronics announced it was closing its Alabama solar manufacturing plant.
The CPA said US solar manufacturers couldn’t compete against Chinese companies heavily subsidized by the communist government without the tariffs, regardless of what tax provisions Congress provides US companies.
The impact on Huntsville is severely damaging. Each manufacturing job supports 7.4 other jobs in the community. LG Electronics said it hopes to retain as many employees as possible by transitioning them to other manufacturing sectors.