Word: chambers
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...grown into the world's largest maker of photovoltaic cells. Yet more than 95% of PV cells produced by China in 2008 were exported, indicating the country's output far exceeds domestic demand. Not surprisingly, foreign companies think they are being blocked from the mainland market. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China has complained China has erected alternative-energy trade barriers, focusing specifically on the treatment of wind-turbine makers. In a position paper released in September the group said, "The use of bidding requirements to bar international [wind-turbine] companies from competing is a cause for grave...
...China's Ministry of Commerce rejected the European chamber's complaints of protectionism, saying the country tries to offer a level playing field for all foreign and domestic businesses. But because China has not signed the World Trade Organization agreement that limits protectionism for government procurement, foreign governments have little recourse. China's National Development and Reform Commission said in June that except in cases where the necessary technology is unavailable domestically, funds from the country's $586 billion stimulus package should buy Chinese-made equipment...
...that position, critics say, is par for the course for Donohue, who has shown relatively little interest in expanding corporate transparency. One of his chief innovations has been a stealth corporate advocacy program, which encourages firms to funnel funds into special chamber accounts to pay for advocacy campaigns run under the chamber's banner, without mention of the company paying for the ad or their stake in the fight...
Many observers think the Chamber, in so zealously opposing so much of the Democrats' agenda, may be its own worst enemy. Peter Darbee, PG&E's CEO, applauds Donohue's effort to rehabilitate the American public's faith in free enterprise in the wake of the past year's troubles." But he added, "I'm struck by the irony that, as we try to restore public trust in business on the one hand, on the other the Chamber's behavior on the climate issue only reinforces stereotypes that erode that very same confidence...
...same might be said of its stance toward corporate transparency. The Chamber successfully sued the Securities and Exchange Commission five years ago to block a requirement that 75% of mutual funds' boards be independent. And another legal battle seems likely to be brewing over the new SEC Commissioner's interest in pushing to allow shareholders to nominate independent members to corporate boards. "They will accept all kinds of stimulus funds and bailouts but God forbid we should ask for any kind of accountability in return," says Nell Minow, co-founder of Corporate Library, a corporate governance research firm...