The Chinese textile industry issued a statement on Thursday
opposing the US government's acceptance of an industry appeal to
limit imports of Chinese fabric products.
The Chinese Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textile
Products said in the statement that the US government has "trampled
the principle of free trade" as well as the spirit of the Agreement
on Textiles and Clothing.
"The Chamber of Commerce, on behalf of the whole Chinese textile
industry, expresses strong protest and firm opposition," it
said.
The US Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements,
which is chaired by the Department of Commerce, announced on
November 18 that it had agreed to consider a request by a coalition
of textile companies to limit imports of Category 301 combed cotton
yarn from China. The committee will consider whether these imports
"threaten the US with market disruption" as is alleged in the
request.
If the committee believes the allegations to be true, it will
request consultations with China.
Earlier in the month, the committee agreed to consider a request
by a coalition of US textile and apparel companies and a union
representing textile and apparel workers to limit imports of 222
other cotton and manmade-fiber apparel products from China.
"The Category 301 products are still restricted by the US import
quota and hold too little market share to disrupt the US market,"
the China Chamber of Commerce statement said. "The existing
restrictions on another 222 products have hurt the Chinese textile
industry, the interests of US cotton growers, consumers, importers,
fabric machinery makers and US investors in China as well."
The Chamber of Commerce urged the US government to stop
activities that harm China-US ties and to abide by WTO rules. It
said the restriction will neither substantially assist the US
textile industry nor create more US jobs.
(Xinhua News Agency, China.org.cn November 26, 2004)