China will not be a scapegoat for US domestic problems
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-06-06 15:05

China will never accept being a scapegoat for US domestic problems, the China Daily said after Washington urged Beijing to understand the pressure it is under over booming exports of Chinese textiles.

A tailor's in the southwestern city of Chongqing. China will never accept being a scapegoat for US domestic problems, the China Daily said after Washington urged Beijing to understand the pressure it is under over booming exports of Chinese textiles.[AFP]

During talks in Beijing on Saturday, US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez explained that the US side was under mounting pressure at home to do something about a surge in Chinese textiles that are threatening jobs.

But in an editorial the China Daily, said this could never be a valid excuse for violating international trade agreements.

"US Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez called on the Chinese side to understand the political pressure the US government bears over the textile issue. He is honest but his point is weak," it said.

"Domestic politics is no excuse for violating international agreements. Domestic problems should be resolved domestically.

"Letting trading partners and free trade as a whole pay for one's internal woes does not look good and is not acceptable.

"The Chinese can be co-operative but they refuse to be a scapegoat for US domestic problems."

Gutierrez and US Trade Representative Rob Portman held talks here over the weekend with Vice Premier Wu Yi. Gutierrez had earlier had negotiations with his counterpart Bo Xilai but all the discussions ended inconclusively.

Since the end of a global quota system on January 1, the United States has slapped import quotas on seven categories of Chinese textile goods. The EU is also close to imposing limits on two types of textile products.

China has said it remains confident a trade war can be avoided but has also blamed the United States and EU for failing to adequately prepare for the surge in textile exports that came with the end of the quota system.

"When the real impact arrived, they blamed China and quickly moved to breach the (trade liberalization) agreement and attempted to shift the pressure to Chinese textile workers," said the China Daily.

"This is sheer protectionism."

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