Compare cotton trouser imports from China to US cotton trouser imports from the rest of the world. Year to date through June 2004, the United States imported 923,249,100 pair of cotton trousers at a cost of $5,428,048,000. The average price was $5.88 per pair. Year to date through 2005, the United States imported 914,636,784 pair of cotton trousers at a cost of $5,410,249,000. The average price was $5.92 per pair -- a price increase of 0.7 percent. Thus, while the price of cotton trousers from the rest of the world increased 0.7 percent, those imported from China decreased 54 percent.
"When China can drop its price on cotton trousers by 54 percent while the price from the rest of the world increased 0.7 percent, something is wrong. Clearly, China is using unfair trade practices like direct subsidies, currency manipulation, export tax rebates to artificially lower its prices in an effort to monopolize the US apparel market. This must be stopped," said Tantillo.
Year to date US textile imports by volume from China through June are up 23 percent compared to last year, an increase of 968 million square meters equivalent. This has allowed China to increase its share of the US import market from 30.9 percent in June 2004 to 36.1 percent in June 2005.
Since January 2001, US textile and apparel manufacturing employment has fallen from 1,047,200 to 657,800 - a loss of 389,400 jobs (37 percent of total employment in the industry).
“The American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition's (AMTAC) mission is to preserve and create American manufacturing jobs through the establishment of trade policy and other measures necessary for the U.S. manufacturing sector to stabilize and grow.”
American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition (AMTAC)
marketing@alchempro.com
