As for the textile preference partners with which our industry has a common bond – Sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, the Middle East, the Andean countries and the NAFTA countries, our industry will work with you to do defend your preferences and to preserve the millions of jobs that these preferences create. While we acknowledge that in a trade round, tariffs are inevitably cut, we will strongly defend those products and their tariffs which constitute the core products of our integrated industries. But as I mentioned, we must do more if we are all to survive: there must be a mechanism in the Doha Round to prevent China from monopolizing your export markets.
To close, I would like to speak to India and Pakistan and some others. I urge you not to fight the last war. The quotas wars are over – you won. Today, the battle has shifted and there is a new, much graver threat. Join with us and work with us to counter that threat and I think you will find that your industries will grow enormously. Fail to do so and I would be concerned that you risk losing your impressive gains. No country has succeeded alone in confronting China and no country has succeeded in defending their market share in the United States without the assistance of the domestic textile industry. Let us work together and find a way to survive and prosper together.
Finally, I appeal to China to show leadership and support efforts to make sure that your developing world partnersalso benefit increased liberalization in the textile sector. Your gains in this sector have been tremendous, the envy of the world. But as a responsible power, you must share the world stage, not monopolize it. As a major power, your interests may do better in the long run if you are willing to help your developing nation partners prosper and thrive, rather seek to dominate and monopolize their important export sectors.
Thank you.
Cass Johnson
President NCTO
National Council of Textile Organisations
marketing@alchempro.com
