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China: US textile move against WTO rules
(chinadaily.com.cn/AP)
Updated: 2005-10-06 08:33
The Bush administration announced Wednesday it has accepted petitions from the U.S. textile industry to launch investigations into whether quotas should be imposed on 21 categories of clothing and textile imports from China.
A spokesman of China's Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday (Beijing time) that the move by the US side is against relevant rules of the World Trade Organization and expressed China's resolute opposition to it.
The spokesman urged the US side to cautiously and properly handle the textile trade issue.
A vendor counts merchandise at his storefront in Beijing 05 September 2005.[AFP/file] |
The US decision further escalates a trade battle between the two nations and is expected to bring more pressure to bear on China to settle the disputes by reaching a comprehensive agreement covering clothing and textile trade to escape being hit by further individual quota cases.
The administration's interagency panel that governs textile trade said it had accepted petitions to continue current quotas covering 16 categories of clothing and textiles including shirts, trousers, bras and underwear. Import growth from China in these categories was limited for a 12-month period to increases of 7.5 percent but those limits will expire at the end of this year if not renewed.
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements also accepted petitions from the industry to cover five new categories including wool suits, coats, cheesecloth and polyester filament fabric.
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