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US warns China against starting a trade war
June 2, 2005
Beijing - US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez warned Thursday that China risks "an outbreak of protectionism" if current trade tensions are not addressed and this may lead to further textile restrictions.
"The Bush administration prefers to resolve all trade issues with China through negotiation rather than legislation," he said in an address to the American Chamber of Commerce during a visit to Beijing.
"No one wins the trade wars. Unfortunately, the slow pace of progress risks an outbreak of protectionism."
The Unite States along with the European Union is moving to impose restrictions on imports of Chinese textiles after shipments surged with the removal of international quotas early this year.
Gutierrez warned the United States may be inclined to further restrict Chinese textile imports if China does not take more concrete measures to curb its booming exports.
"We believe we have the right to do that," he told businessmen.
"We believe that what we did on textile and our decision on this are very much within our rights to do so under the WTO agreement," he said.
With China proposing tariffs on its textile exports and later withdrawing them, Gutierrez said Beijing must offer something more tangible.
"The United States needs more than commitments from China," he said.
Gutierrez arrived in Beijing Thursday in an effort to manage a growing trade dispute over US-imposed restrictions on China's booming textile exports and to smooth over serious disagreements over currency issues.
Gutierrez will hold talks with Vice Premier Wu Yi and Trade Minister Bo Xilai on Saturday when US Trade Representative Rob Portman is also expected in the Chinese capital, US officials here said.
Both Wu and Bo have voiced strong opposition to the US limits, characterizing them as protectionist and a severe blow to ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) trade liberalization negotiations.
The arrival of the top US trade official signals Washington's concern over the issue with intense domestic pressure in the United States about potential textile job losses sparked by the flood of cheap Chinese imports. - AFP
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