Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong on Wednesday summoned US Ambassador to China Clark Randt to express concerns over the US decision on imposing quotas on three types of textile products it imports from China.  

The US Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA) decided Monday to request negotiations on imports from China of knit fabrics, bras, dressing gowns and robes. The US Administration announced the decision Tuesday.

Zhou said the Chinese government is shocked at and expresses dissatisfaction with the US decision, which had been made despite strong opposition from the Chinese side.

He said the Chinese government and textile industry have repeatedly pointed out that the US textile industry's application for restriction did not conform to the CITA's procedure on special safeguards against Chinese textile products and garments, and was in violation of the pledges contained in the working group report on China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The US Administration, ignoring China's strong opposition, misinterpreted and abused the restriction measures against Chinese textile products, and made the decision to impose restrictions, which runs against relevant legal documents on China's WTO entry as well as WTO principles on free trade, transparency and non-discrimination, and sends the wrong signal to the US textile sector and other WTO members, said Zhou.

The progress of Sino-US trade and economic ties as it is today is attributable to the concerted efforts from the two governments and peoples, the vice-Foreign Minister said. China has always been active in developing the two nations' trade and economic cooperation based on the principle of equality and reciprocity, he said, expressing his hope that the US government will change its wrong decision and return to the path of resolving disagreements through dialogue and cooperation.

The Chinese government reserves its right to take further actions, he said.

Randt said he would report China's stance to the US government, and the US side appreciates China's positive attitude toward developing the two nations' trade and economic ties, and is willing to work with the Chinese side to resolve problems arising from their trade and economic relations.

(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2003)