The European Commission (EC) on Friday launched an investigation
into nine categories of textile and apparel products imported from
China.
China's Ministry of
Commerce reacted by saying the evidence the EC used could not
justify the move.
The EC claimed that its textile imports from China rose as much
as 500 percent in some categories in the first quarter over the
same period of last year.
"However, the import volume for last year was the sum of 15
European countries while that for this year includes imports to 10
new EU members," said Chong Quan, the ministry's spokesman.
Besides, the spokesman said, only one item under investigation
saw a drop in price in the first three months of the year,
indicating that China's textile exporters were not disturbing the
EU market with low prices.
The EC officially announced it would start the investigation
into products ranging from men's trousers and socks to stockings on
Thursday.
The investigation, proposed by EU Trade Commissioner Peter
Mandelson last week, will last for a maximum of 60 days.
China and the EU are expected to hold informal talks on the
issue in the coming weeks.
Carlos Fortin, acting secretary general of the United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development, suggested the two sides solve
textile trade frictions through negotiation and opposed the hasty
move of the EC.
Director of the World Trade Organization General Supachai
Panitchpakdi was quoted by the Wall Street Journal earlier this
week as saying that EU countries and the United States should wait
at least a year before taking protective measures.
Meanwhile, the US Committee for the Implementation of Textile
Agreements, an inter-agency group chaired by the US Department of
Commerce, announced on Thursday it would consider requests from US
manufacturers for safeguard measures against seven categories of
textile and apparel imports from China, Xinhua reported.
The US Government decided earlier this month to investigate
three categories of textiles imported from China, claiming that
surging textile imports had disturbed its domestic industry.
(China Daily April 30, 2005)