Chinese trade expert Yu Xiaosong said on Monday textile industries in China and the United States should strive to realize win-win cooperation and avoid friction caused by alleged drastic influx of Chinese textile exports.

Yu, former president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, made the remarks while meeting a delegation of US and European textile buyers in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province in east China.

"There are huge spaces for Chinese and US textile industries to cooperate," said Yu, defining Sino-US textile trade as being "very complimentary" to both countries.

China now imports a large amount of US cotton each year. Meanwhile, a considerable number of American textile brands have positioned their manufacturing operations in China and sold their Chinese-made products worldwide.

"The US government's recent restrictions on Chinese textile products will also hurt the interests of US textile companies residing in China," said Yu.

The trade expert said trade friction should be settled within the framework of the World Trade Organization and through discussion, dialogue and consultation. He also voiced dissatisfaction with any "unilateral government action" to solve trade problems.

"Textile associations from China and the US should establish a regular relationship and play a role in moving away trade barriers and dealing with conflict of interest," said Yu.

The delegation of 72 US and European textile buyers and 14 representatives of US textile associations arrived in the eastern China city on Sunday to communicate face-to-face with Chinese textile manufacturers in the coming two weeks on increasing Chinese manufacturers' profits and reducing foreign buyers' import costs.

Jeff Coey, director of the US Cotton Council International (CCI) for China and Southeast Asia, told Xinhua on Monday that it was impossible for the United States to sell cotton to China but barricade the Chinese textile export to the US.

"China should export textile products made of the US cotton to not only the US but also the rest of the world so as to benefit both China and the US," said Coey.

Last year, China imported 2.5 billion pounds of US cotton at a price of 1.6 billion US dollars, making it the largest importer of US cotton in the world.

Source: Xinhua