China exported 141.6 billion U.S. dollars worth of textile and
apparel products in the first 10 months of 2007, a growth of 20.1
percent over the same period of 2006.
The total included 95.61 billion U.S. dollars worth of clothing
and accessories, up 22.9 percent, and 45.95 billion dollars worth
of yarns, fabrics and related products, up 14.5 percent, according
to customs sources.
Of the total exports, private companies accounted for 41.3
percent, or 58.47 billion U.S. dollars, up 44.2 percent, and
foreign-funded businesses made up 31.9 percent, or 45.14 billion
dollars, up 16.3 percent.
The European Union, the United States, Japan and the region of
Hong Kong remained the top four markets of textiles made on the
Chinese mainland.
Between January and October, the mainland sold 23.27 billion
U.S. dollars worth of textile and apparel products to the EU, down
0.4 percent from the same period of the previous year, and 21.12
billion dollars worth to the United States, up 23.3 percent.
Customs sources said China's textile export would continue to be
pressurized by a reduction in export rebates, further appreciation
of Renminbi and continuous price rises for raw materials.
However, preventing the export from running away again is still
a major concern of the industry regulators.
At the end of last year, the quota system for Chinese textile
shipments to the European Union expired.
Just a few days prior to the expiration, a new online textile
export license system began operation in China, as one of a series
of measures taken by the country to better regulate the textile
export market and avoid a surge of Chinese clothing exports to the
EU like one in 2005, according to Zhao Qiuyuan, a senior analyst
with the China Trade Remedy Information website under the Ministry
of Commerce.
China and the EU agreed last September to set up a bilateral
system to monitor Chinese exports of T-shirts, pullovers, men's
trousers, blouses, dresses, bras, bed linens and flax yarn after
the quota system ended. Monitoring will continue until the end of
2008, without quantity restrictions
Commenting on the possibility of "Made in China" products
flooding the EU, Zhao Qiuyuan said that besides government efforts,
domestic exporters should exercise restraint, since the EU might
adopt tightening measures if there was a new surge of Chinese
goods.
Industry watchers said if the bilateral monitoring system
functioned smoothly, it would serve as a good example for dealing
with the Sino-U.S. textile quota system, which was set to expire by
the end of 2008.
(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2008)
