From Tuesday to Thursday, 28,296 qualified textile enterprises in China joined the bidding for export quotas on 21 categories of textiles to the United States next year.

The result is expected to be released on Friday morning by the Ministry of Commerce. The competition is very heated due to a half-year block on some kinds of products to the United States, insiders said.

After seven rounds of talks, the United States and China in November signed a three-year agreement on textile trade, imposing quotas on Chinese textile products but clearing a major obstacle to bilateral trade.

A total of 21 types of clothing and textiles have been placed under the import restrictions, including cotton trousers.

The agreement provides for a progressive increase in imports of major textiles and apparel products from China -- by 10 to 15 percent in 2006, 12.5 to 16 percent in 2007, and 15 to 17 percent in 2008.

Thirty percent of the agreed quota next year will be distributed through public bids, said the Ministry of Commerce.

Source: Xinhua