U.S. Industry Files New Safeguard Petitions

 

U.S. textile, apparel and fiber producing trade associations announced the filing of four safeguard petitions covering eight categories to limit the growth of U.S. textile and apparel imports from China on Monday, July 11.  The industry also announced that it had refiled a petition on curtains on June 22 that the U.S. government rejected for technical reasons on June 21.   

 

Safeguard Category

Description

China Year to Date Increase

% Change

341/641

c/mmf non-knit shirts

+  4,007,246 dozen

+ 463 %

342/642

c/mmf skirts

+  3,743,400 dozen

+ 879 %

351/651

c/mmf pajamas/nightwear

+  3,582,855 dozen

+ 647 %

359S/659S

c/mmf swimwear

+  2,244,101 kilograms

+ 408 %

369/666

c/mmf curtains

+  7,687,648 kilograms

+   32 %

* mmf = man-made fiber                                   ** c = cotton

 

Combined U.S. imports in the 10 categories covered by the July 11 announcement totaled $6.4 billion in 2004, with imports from China accounting for $944 million.

The value of the Chinese imports covered by the petitions account for 5.3% of the $17.8 billion in textile and apparel imports from China and 1.05% of the $89.7 billion in imports from the world (including China) in 2004. 

In terms of the $196.7 billion in U.S. imports of all goods from China in 2004, these petitions affect only about 0.48% of that trade. 

The U.S. Government has 15 days to decide whether to accept the petitions for consideration and at least 90 days after that to decide whether to impose curbs.

“The U.S. textile industry will keep filing petitions until the United States and China reach a comprehensive agreement to moderate the growth of Chinese textile and apparel imports to a reasonable level through the end of 2008,” Auggie Tantillo, executive director of the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition

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