Textile exports to US drop in H1

China's textile exports to the United States fell 0.6% year-on-year in the first six months of 2006 to US$8.23 billion dollars, a National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) report released Friday shows. It is the first time China's textile exports to the US have dropped in recent years. First half growth was 76% lower than in the same period last year. China's textile exports to the European Union climbed 10.3% year-on-year to US$9.5 billion, but year-on-year growth was 46.2% down. Export constraints were the primary cause of slower growth, the NDRC report said. China's textile exports to regions without export restraints grew 34.4% to US$44.75 billion in the first half. Among these regions, textile exports to Turkey climbed 221%, Mexico 155%, Macao 63%, South Korea 44%, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 44%.