U.S. imposes quotas on more Chinese textiles -
Wednesday, May 18, 2005 9:46:30 PM
afxpress.com
WASHINGTON (AFX) - The Bush administration will impose quotas on four more categories of Chinese textile imports because they threaten to disrupt the U.S. market, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. The action builds on quotas imposed last week on three major categories of Chinese textile imports. On Wednesday, a federal interagency panel, the Committee for Implementation of Textile Agreements, chaired by the Commerce Department, determined that imports of men's and boys' cotton and man-made fiber shirts, man-made fiber trousers, man-made fiber knit shirts and blouses, and combed cotton yarn are threats to the U.S. market. The United States will impose a quota equal to 107.5% of the average imports in the past year. So far this year, the U.S. has imported more than $350 million worth of the products impacted by Wednesday's ruling
"We will enforce our trade agreements to ensure that U.S. companies get a fair deal as they compete in the global marketplace," said Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez in a statement
China has been feeling heat from Washington lately. The Treasury Department warned China on Tuesday that it must revalue its currency within the next six months or be branded as a currency manipulator, which could lead to broader sanctions on Chinese imports. At the same time, Treasury Secretary John Snow warned about "wrong-headed protectionism" that could harm global growth. Anti-Chinese sentiment is growing on Capitol Hill, Snow said Wednesday. Global textile quotas that had been in place for decades expired in December. Since then, imports of Chinese textiles have soared. U.S industries say the imports threaten U.S. producers and jobs
The U.S. government will request negotiations with the Chinese by the end of May
The European Union has also begun an investigation into Chinese textile imports
The Chinese have said they have voluntarily reduced their textile exports in face of the U.S. and European investigations
According to U.S. data, in the first three months of 2005, imports of Chinese non-knit shirts increased 197% to $96.2 million. Chinese imports of knit shirts rose by 195% year-over-year to $142.1 million. Chinese imports of trousers increased 111% to $122.1 million. Chinese imports of yarn increased 62% to $1.6 million
Total Chinese textile imports have increased 54% year-to-date to $5.6 billion. Textile imports from all sources have increased 11.5% year-to-date to $22.6 billion
Chinese imports have risen from about 16% of all textile imports in 2002 to about 20% in 2004 and about 25% so far in 2005
Since 2000, U.S. employment in textile and apparel manufacturing has fallen by 389,000, or 36%, to about 700,000 |
