April trade figures show actions by government against China were key to saving textile jobs

Data released by the US commerce department shows that the quick action by the US government last month to impose safeguards were essential to saving jobs in the textile industry. Import data shows that China continued its unprecedented surge into the US market in April, exporting 501 million garments during the month. Exports in key product areas such as cotton trousers and knit shirts continued to increase at 1,500 per cent or more. According to figures from the International Trade Commission, Chinese exports of garments have been running at a rate of 16 million garments per day since quotas were removed on January 1.

NCTO president Mr Cass Johnson noted that the DR-CAFTA agreement is an essential part of the industry strategy to survive the threat from China. According to him, "Last month, US government acted decisively to stop the flood of Chinese imports by imposing expedited safeguards and by doing so, the government saved tens of thousands of textile jobs. China is now facing embargoes in major categories as early as July. Now it is time for the US Congress to take similar decisive action to keep China at bay. The DR-CAFTA agreement must be approved if the US textile industry is to maintain a long term competitive edge against China and other Asian exporters. As much as 71 per cent of all apparel imports from the Caribbean contain US yarns and fabrics, compared to less than one per cent of imports from China. Our industry needs a proactive, forward thinking trade strategy to keep China at bay and the DR-CAFTA is an essential element of that."

He further stated that for the US industry to survive the threat from China and elsewhere, US government safeguards on China and the permanent duty-free platform that DR-CAFTA creates were essential. "Both are integral to maintaining more than $4 billion in textile exports to the region and to keeping tens of thousands of our workers employed in the United States."