U.S. begins proceedings on Chinese textile imports
Susan M. Andrews -- Furniture Today, April 10, 2005
Washington — The U.S. government has initiated safeguard proceedings to determine whether imports of Chinese textile and apparel products are contributing to the disruption of the domestic market.
Since textile quotas were eliminated on Jan. 1, imports of textiles from China have risen dramatically, as much as 1,500% in the cotton trouser category, for example.
If the government finds that Chinese imports are damaging the domestic textile market, and if an agreement with China to limit imports cannot be reached, the U.S. has the right to limit imports from China to 7.5% above its shipments in the preceding year.
Although the initial categories to be studied are apparel, petitions eventually could be filed for upholstery fabric, according to Jim Schollaert, director of strategic outreach for the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition.
"Fabric already upholstered on furniture, or imported as cut-and-sewn kits, would not be subject to limits," he said, "but fabric imported on rolls to be cut and used as upholstery for furniture could be subject to a safeguard petition if the increase (in imports) is great enough."
Allen Gant, chairman of the National Council of Textile Organizations and president of Glen Raven, said the action by the Bush administration "sends a clear message that the United States will not stand by and allow China to steal U.S. textile and apparel jobs."
