US textile industry asks government to limit imports from China

The US textile and clothing industry on Wednesday asked the US government to re-impose quotason 14 categories of clothing to protect American manufacturers from Chinese imports.

The cases covered such products as knit shirts, sweaters, brassieres, dressing gowns and trousers made with man-made fibers.The petition came two days after the Bush administration brought its own cases on different clothing products.

The administration announced on Monday that it was bringing itsown cases covering cotton knit shirts and blouses, cotton trousersand underwear made of cotton and manmade fabrics.

"We need the US government not only to approve these cases, butto approve them as quickly as possible, which they could do by mid-May," said Auggie Tantillo, executive director of the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition.

US textiles and clothing makers also pledged to file more petitions covering more products in coming weeks in a bid to save US jobs.

However, US retailers have been arguing that the drive by the US textile and clothing industry will not save American jobs and the limit on import from China will simply shift production to other countries.