Importers, domestic producers say U.S.-China textile talks have failed
Although there has been no official word, spokesmen for both importers and U.S. domestic producers of apparel products said Wednesday that textile negotiations in Beijing between the United States and China have abruptly ended.
Negotiators from both countries met Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss the establishment of an agreement that would temporarily limit imports of textiles and clothing made in China.
'We are extremely concerned by reports that the United States presented a proposal in Beijing that was even more restrictive than the U.S. side presented during negotiations in San Francisco earlier this month,' said Laura E. Jones, executive director of the U.S. Association of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA). 'If the United States really wants an agreement, it should be moving toward a compromise, not in the opposite direction.'
'Any agreement reached has to be based on what is really happening in the market. It is na've and short-sighted to press for an agreement that mindlessly continues to rein in products made in China,' she said.
On the domestic side, three U.S. textile associations issued a statement expressing 'appreciation to the U.S. government for standing firm on issues of critical importance.' The statement came from the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (AMTAC), the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO), and the National Textile Association (NTA).
'We are disappointed that the Chinese government is not yet willing to negotiate seriously,' said Cass Johnson, president of NCTO.
'No agreement is better than a bad agreement,' said Karl Spilhaus, president of the NTA.
On the issue that most incensed the Chinese — U.S. safeguards that will restore almost all quotas on imports from China — 'we intend to be as aggressive in the future as we have been in the past,' said Auggie Tantillo, executive director of AMTAC.