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USA:Bush administration to restrict Chinese sock imports |
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2004-10-27
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The Bush administration has decided that it will impose a quota safeguard petition on the import of socks from China as pressure from hosiery officials continues to grow.
The restriction, approved by the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements, means man-made fibre and cotton sock imports (category 332 and 632 part) will be capped at 7.5 percent growth per annum.
Chinese imports of wool socks (category 432) will be capped at a growth rate of 6 percent a year.
These quotas are not effective immediately, but will be imposed when the US requests consultations with China. This request is expected to take place shortly, and consultations must be held within 30 days of receipt of this request by the Chinese government.
"The United States will make every effort to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement with the Government of China to ease or avoid disruption in the US market for socks within 90 days of such a request," read a statement from a coalition of US manufacturers.
Imports of socks from China have poured into the US in the last 3 years. Figures from The Hosiery Association reveal that China exported fewer than 1 million dozen pairs of socks to the US in 2000. Since then, 22 million dozen were imported from China in 2003, and 42 million dozen pairs were imported in the 12 months ended August 31st 2004.
Meanwhile US sock production has fallen from 207 million dozen pairs in 2001 to 166 million dozen pairs in 2003.
The US coalition who filed the petition includes The Hosiery Association, the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, The National Council of Textile Organizations, and the National Textile Association.
US textile industry observers say this could be the first of a raft of textile safeguard measures to be approved.
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