US consumers, experts express strong dissatisfaction about the US textile quotas against China

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, November 22, 2003

US consumers, experts express strong dissatisfaction about the US textile quotas against China

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US Department of Commerce announced on November 18 that the United States will resume the quota system on three types of textile imports from China, namely knit fabrics, bras, and dressing gowns and robes. Some US consumers and experts expressed their strong dissatisfaction with this decision.

The US Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) composed of the US Department of Commerce, the US Department of State, the Department of Labor and the US Trade Representatives voted on November 17 to initiate a "protection" provision on imports of knit fabrics, bras and robes from China, i.e. the total import volume of those products should not exceed 7.5 percent that for the last year. This limit will be valid till January 1, 2005, the US Department of Commerce said.

Report by the Associated Press said that this decision is in fact of no difference from the raising of the import tariff on steel and iron last year, also a need of the US domestic politics and presidential election.

Previously, the United States has practiced a quota system on the textile imports from China for more than ten years. The quota system was revoked in January 2002 as China entered the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The renewal of the quota system aroused criticisms from many circles. A number of US consumers said the Bush administration's decision set a bad precedent and cannot but make the US textile industry in trouble to put forward more stringent request. Erik Autor, vice president of US National Retail Federation said that this decision would lead to supply shortages thus the price hike and would be of no help to the US employment market.

Gary C. Hufbauer, expert in trade with the Institute for International Economics in Washington DC warned that the Bush administration's decision would increase the cost of the clothes on sale in US shops and ultimately it will be the US people to suffer. He estimated that the protective measures on textile and clothing companies in practice now would incur a loss of 400 US dollars each year for every US family. According to Brink Lindsey, an expert with the Cato Institute, the Bush administration's decision will make US people who advocate an open market and competition very disappointed.

Article on the seventh page of People's Daily, November 20, translated by PD Online staff Gao Lanrong

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