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| Home Front: Economy | |
| US limits Chinese textile imports | |
| 2005-05-14 | |
| The US has announced that it is to re-impose quotas on three categories of Chinese textile imports, arguing that thousands of jobs are at risk. The moves follows a massive surge in clothing imports into the US since worldwide quotas were abolished at the beginning of this year. The clothing ranges which will now be limited are cotton trousers, cotton shirts and underwear. Last month the US and the EU began investigating Chinese import levels. They said the goods were damaging their own textile industries. Under the rules of the World Trade Organisation, countries have the right to act if it is determined that serious market disruption has taken place. The US Commerce Secretary, Carlos Guitierrez, said a government investigation had established that this was indeed the case. The EU has already urged China to curb its textile exports. Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said on Thursday that China should clamp down or face legal action. The US decision was taken by the inter-agency Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA). It means that total shipments in the three categories will only be able to increase by 7.5% above shipments in the past 12 months. "Today's action by CITA demonstrates this administration's commitment to levelling the playing field for US industry by enforcing our trade agreements," Mr Gutierrez said in a statement.
US retailers have opposed the quotas, on the grounds that they will raise prices for consumers. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #1 Why don't we just buy the damn factories, mothball 'em and retrain the workers. I like cheap textiles. I know, I know, first it's cotton then it's the strategic mohair industry. /Zaeger & Evans |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-05-14 14:49 |