China balks at new textile agreement

An official from the US Department of Commerce said that China has been unwilling to negotiate a comprehensive agreement to limit textile exports to the US before the current quota system expires at the end of this year. US Commerce Undersecretary Grant Aldonas said China was �not interested� in negotiating a new agreement, adding that the US would employ domestic trade laws to restrict clothing and other textile imports when appropriate. Last year the US restricted bra, dressing gown and knit fabric imports from China under a �safeguard� provision agreed to by China as part of its WTO accession in 2001. The US textile industry has said it will seek new restrictions on some Chinese textile imports if Beijing does not voluntarily impose export limits on its domestic textile industry when the current quota system expires.