China criticises US review: quotas on textile products

07 Oct, 2005

China Thursday voiced "firm opposition" to the US government's acceptance of an industry request to consider quotas on 13 types of Chinese textile imports.
"The US practice has apparently violated relevant standards under the World Trade Organisation. We are firmly opposed to this type of action," the Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on its website.
On Wednesday, the US inter-agency Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) said it would rule in January on whether quotas were needed against 13 categories of textile imports from China because of "market disruption".
The decision covers a possible extension to quotas on nine Chinese categories that were due to expire at the end of this year, and new quotas on four other categories not previously under scrutiny.
The Chinese ministry said it hoped the United States would review the issue from the perspective of overall bilateral interests and deal with the problem in a "prudent and considerate manner".
With the addition of the 13 cases, CITA is now considering quotas on imports of 27 types of Chinese garments and textiles.
China's textile exports to the US as well as other markets have surged this year with the end of a global quota system.
The United States and China plan another round of talks on their drawn-out battle to forge a comprehensive agreement on textiles trade this month.

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