A major Chinese textile industrial organization has voiced its
deep regret and strong discontent over the acceptance of safeguard
petitions on Chinese products by the United States.??
Cao Xinyu, vice-chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce for
Textile Imports and Exports, said protectionism is a useless
attempt to solve trade disputes.
"Negotiation and cooperation are the only fundamental means to
settle the problem," he added.
On Tuesday, the Committee for the Implementation of Textile
Agreements accepted three of the four China textile safeguard
petitions, which were filed by the US textile and fiber industry on
July 24.
The petitions covering knitted fabric, bras and dressing gowns
were accepted, but the petition on gloves was not.
A lobby group is in the US to try and avert a possible clash
with US firms over the product safeguards, Cao said.
The official said the Chinese group will form a close alliance
with US importers and retailers to try and protect their
interests.
Besides affecting US traders and consumers, safeguards could
jeopardize the possibility of bilateral textile trade between China
and the United States.
Customs statistics show China imported US$447 million worth of
US textiles and apparel last year, up 23.04 percent from 2001.
There was another sharp rise this year, with growth hitting 44.5
percent in the first six months.
The US government is expected to make a ruling on the petitions
in November.
The World Trade Organization agreement (WTO) calls for quotas on
textiles and apparel to be eliminated by 2005 but under a special
deal that allowed China to enter the WTO in late 2001, safeguards
can be imposed on Chinese goods if the "orderly development" of
trade in the market is threatened.
(China Daily August 21, 2003)