What the Chinese textile industry fears the most may yet happen, as their US counterparts are pressing the US Government to implement new safeguard measures on additional categories of Chinese textile imports.

US textile groups have filed petitions to the Bush administration asking for additional safeguard measures on shirts, skirts, pyjamas and swimwear from China.

They claim that imports of these clothes from China have surged sharply since the global quota on the textile trade was eliminated on January 1.

All China''s textile exporters, whether involved or not involved, are keeping an eye on this latest textile dispute with the United States.

"We hope that the US side will not introduce curbs to new categories," said Liang Shiyu, an official with the China Chamber of Commerce for the Import and Export of Textiles. "That will enlarge the influence on our textile industry."

Meanwhile, US groups have also re-filed petitions appealing for a cap on Chinese curtains, something which was rejected by the US commerce department last month.

Auggie Tantillo, executive director of the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, was quoted by Reuters as saying that the US textile industry will keep filing petitions until the United States and China reach a comprehensive agreement to moderate the growth of Chinese textile and clothing imports to a reasonable level until the end of 2008.

However, it is the US Government that determines whether to accept the petitions and whether to impose curbs on Chinese textiles.

At the Sino-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade held in Beijing on Monday, the US delegation promised the Chinese side that they will be prudent when applying safeguard measures on textile and garment products from China.

China Daily