Philippines - MILF negotiates continue - Malaysia MILF Conspiracy Fund true?

Philippines government will continue with peace talks even as it pursues "criminal elements" as called "All-out-for-justice" among the Muslim rebels for the recent killings of soldiers, the chief government negotiator said.

The deaths of as many as 40 soldiers, police and civilians in the past two weeks would hopefully not prevent planned peace talks from moving forward next month; chief peace negotiator Teresita Quintos Deles told government radio.

She said President Benigno Aquino III was still pushing through with the talks despite angry calls for an "all-out-for-justice" against the country's main Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"We will pursue law enforcement [operations] against criminal elements but we will also continue the peace process. So we will separate that from the talks with the MILF.

"We really have to find a solution to the problem... where criminal elements sometimes mix with MILF forces on the ground," she added.

In the past two weeks, government forces in pursuit of wanted criminals have been attacked by Muslim rebels in a remote region of Zamboanga Sibugay province in lawless Mindanao Island, and in the nearby island of Basilan.

The killing of so many soldiers, police and civilians stoked public anger at the MILF who have been engaged in peace talks with the government since 2003 and have a ceasefire in place for the negotiations.

The MILF only disowned the gunmen involved in the Zamboanga Sibugay clash on Tuesday in the face of a massive military offensive, but also admit to killing 19 soldiers in Basilan, saying they had intruded into the rebels' territory.

More than 28,000 people were forced to flee their homes in Zamboanga Sibugay and Basilan due to the fighting with the Muslim rebels.

The government and MILF panels will have to meet in Kuala Lumpur in early November to try and thrash out the disagreements so that the peace talks can move forward, said Deles.

"This discussion is needed to see what we can do to establish accountability and to hold those responsible and to ensure these kinds of incidents do not happen again," she said.

The 12,000-strong MILF have said they remain committed to talks aimed at ending a decades-old rebellion that has left 150,000 dead since the 1970s.

5 Million Government Aid for MILF –Malaysian Conspiracy fund

It has become a big issue where Senator Francis Escudero question the palace why giving money to the MILF which been alleged and leaks that it has been used to purchased new high powered armaments for the Muslim rebels to fight against the Philippines' government.

The rumors were answered by the MILF that the 5 Million government aid for the MILF is still in the bank and they are open for audits as they denied they did not use the fund to purchase armaments.

Residents question where could be the MILF found source of fund to purchased new armaments to fight against the government wherein the international terrorist rebel is already dead? (referring to Osama Bin Laden)

Whistle blower from another muslim rebels groups leaked that they receive fund from Malaysian group to purchase armaments to fight against the Philippines government to destabilize the Aquino economic reform and to ruin the plan of Sultan Kiram in pushing to Philippines Government to takeover the North Borneo (Sabah)

The muslim rebel group admitted that they are receiving funding for their family from the unknown group in Malaysia to escalate attacks around the islands.

Malaysia has been worry of the fast economic progress of the Philippines which the country's power and stability might trigger to control back the North Borneo which is under control now by the Malaysian Government.

Malaysia remain insecure of the status of the North Borneo (Sabah) as is its legally own by the heirs of the Sultanate State of Sulu of which Sultan Kiram recognized himself as a Filipino and called his people in Sabah (North Borneo) as Sabahans – Filipinos. 

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SolarWorld Files Complaint Against Chinese Panelmakers and Cell Manufacturers

DALLAS – A coalition of seven U.S.-based solar panel manufacturers filed a complaint Wednesday alleging unfair trade practices, setting off an investigation that could thrust the solar industry in the middle of a U.S.-China trade dispute.

By filing their petition, the companies are claiming that they are unable to compete in the lucrative and quickly expanding American solar market because, they say, they are being undercut by Chinese crystalline silicon panel and cell manufacturers that are dumping their product at artificially low prices. They also contend that panelmakers and cell manufacturers are receiving unfair subsidies from their government. A finding on behalf of the American companies would lead to tariffs being imposed on solar panels imported from China, possibly as soon as next spring.

The American division of SolarWorld, which employs more than 1,000 workers at its Oregon headquarters and manufacturing facility, is the only company named in the trade complaint. The other six remain anonymous, which is allowed by the Department of Commerce. The group on Wednesday launched the Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing.

There was also an growing indication Thursday that German parent company SolarWorld may also be taking steps to file a complaint in Europe.

Trade complaints are not uncommon. However, according to industry sources, the sheer level of inventory and dollars at stake, and the vast potential of a future market, could make this among the most divisive trade complaints filed in recent years.

In response to the news, Rhone Resch president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) said that his organization "will continue to support open markets based on free and fair trade principles." SEIA believes that is is crucial for governments and private organizations, however, to "operate within the framework of internationally-negotiated trade rules. 

“If it appears that trade obligations are not being met, solar companies – whether foreign or domestic — have the right to request an investigation into alleged unfair trade practices. These allegations must be thoroughly examined and, if unlawful trade practices are found, action to remedy those practices should be taken," he added.

Politically, some Republican presidential candidates and Congressional lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have indicated support for a more hardline stance against China over issues ranging from manufacturing to perceived currency manipulation. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has been among the most vocal critics of the price of solar panels coming into the American market. He recently wrote President Obama a letter saying the administration should impose a heavy tariff on panels coming in from China.

The International Trade Commission has 45 days to issue its preliminary determination, while the Department of Commerce has 180 days for the preliminary determination. At this point, tariffs could be set. The cases generally take 15 months for final determination. While much is conjecture at this point, early indications are that the tariff rate sought by the companies filing the claim are at 100 percent.

A ruling at the higher level could effectively shut out competition from the Chinese market. It also opens up the possibility that China could retaliate against U.S.-based manufacturers that depend on Chinese panelmakers and cell manufacturers, such as the polysilicon industry.

According to a recent report released by SEIA, the U.S. was a net solar exporter to China in 2010, so such a move could strain or potentially jeopardize many of the relationships between American and Chinese companies.

The petition was filed jointly with the Department of Commerce (DOC) and the United States International Trade Commission (ITC). According to sources, it is likely that the DOC and the ITC acted in an advisory role regarding the law and the process prior to the claim being filed. Both organizations now will shift to a fact-finding mode.

The ITC must make its preliminary determination based on three measures of injury:

• Whether the volume of imports is significant
• Whether the prices of those imports represents underselling, depresses prices or prevents price increases
• Whether the imports have a negative impact on domestic producers and production.

Following the ITC determination, the DOC has up to six months to implement preliminary dumping duties. Panels could be sold in the U.S. during that six-month window, but any indication that products were being pushed through to avoid pending tariffs would make many of those transactions subject to penalty.

Chinese panelmakers and/or cell manufacturers could file for an appeal through the World Trade Organization, which could work to find a resolution.

INDUSTRY REACTION

Barry Cinnamon,  CEO, Westinghouse Solar

“My opinion is really calibrated on what we in the United States need to do for jobs. The Republicans have a jobs program, Democrats have a jobs program. And we in solar, we should have a jobs program of getting people to work by manufacturing and installing solar. If we can create more jobs installing relatively inexpensive solar panels, and free trade is what supports that, then I think that’s the right thing to do.”

Lisa Frantzis, Navigant Consulting

“The Chinese suppliers have certainly gained a tremendous market share globally. They’ve gone from 3 percent market share in 1997 to 54 percent maker share in 2011. Most of that has been in the last three or four years. The U.S. has gone from about 47 percent to 6 percent in that same time frame. If you look at some of the major module suppliers – Yingli, Trina, Suntech – in Q3, their modules are selling at about $1.30 a watt peak, and we’re hearing prices even lower here today, which will make it very hard for U.S. players to compete in the U.S. market.”

Adam Browning, Vote Solar

“Countries around the world offer incentives in order to attract and build manufacturing sectors. Germany has long offered 50 percent unsecured loans. Malaysia will give you a 10-year tax holiday if you site a manufacturing plant there. In fact, this is what we often ask the U.S. government to do. The key all along has been about reducing costs. China has identified solar as a strategic industry of national importance and the result is they’ve brought down costs tremendously. That is to the benefit of the sector globally. It results in much lower costs in installations and growth in the installation sector. At this point, I’d say a trade war is not of benefit to the American solar industry, the global solar industry and consumers in general.”

Lou Schwartz, Analyst

It certainly shouldn’t be a surprise that U.S. solar panel manufacturers are pursuing anti-dumping and anti-subsidy actions against their Chinese competitors; warnings began circulating in the Chinese renewable energy press months ago that this likely would be one consequence of “cabbage pricing” by Chinese solar exporters.  Given the inability of the Chinese to reign in runaway growth in solar capacity development, shrinkage in China’s most significant solar market largely as a result of the European Financial Crisis, growing discontent over high profile bankruptcies, such as Solyndra, amid a prolonged economic stupor in the U.S. and the failure of the Chinese government to more energetically put in place policies directing a greater percentage of this largely export-oriented industry to domestic markets, it all seems rather inevitable.  

Though avoidable, “it is what it is”, so we now must address the fallout, which will include more trade friction, an increase in subtle Chinese retaliatory actions, the acceleration of the shake-out in the Chinese solar industry, price increases in the U.S. as a consequence of reduced imports from China, a slowdown in the growth of U.S. solar installations and a delay in achieving the goal of grid parity.

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