Imports dip slightly

The value of Chinese textiles and garments imported by the United States dropped off in January and February for the first time in eight years, the South China Morning Post reported, quoting US Department of Commerce figures. The decline comes after a huge jump in the same two-month period last year when global textile quotas were scrapped. Imports were down slightly by 0.63% to US$3.34 billion; the figure rose by 125% in the first two months of 2005. "[Last year] was a crazy year anyway," Willy Lin Sun-mo, a vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Textile Council, told the newspaper. "I won't be surprised if US imports of Chinese textiles remain flat or slightly decline for the rest of this year."