NCTO calls for tariffs on Chinese textile & apparel

“The US textile industry strongly supports the Trump administration’s Section 301 case to sanction China’s rampant intellectual property rights (IPR) theft,” said NCTO president and CEO Auggie Tantillo while testififying as a witness at the Office of the US Trade Representative’s (USTR) public hearing on proposed China 301 tariffs in Washington, DC.

“China’s domination of global textile markets has clearly been aided by its rampant theft of US textile intellectual property. From the violation of patents on high performance fibres, yarns and fabrics to the infringement of copyrighted designs on textile home furnishings, China has gained pricing advantages through blatantly illegal activities. Putting 301 tariffs on Chinese textile and apparel exports would send a long overdue signal that these predatory actions will no longer be tolerated,” Tantillo added.

On behalf of the US textile industry, NCTO has recommended that the Trump administration add three items to the retaliation list. These are: a. Finished apparel items that track closely with product being sourced from US FTA partners; b. Textile-based home furnishings; and c. Advanced textiles, defined as textile inputs or finished products designed to meet rigorous safety and/or unique high-performance criteria.

The NCTO has also recommend that all textile machinery items be removed from the retaliation list.

In addition to Tantillo’s hearing testimony, NCTO and the US Industrial Fabrics Institute (USIFI) and Narrow Fabrics Institute (NFI) submitted a joint 24-page statement for the record as part of USTR’s public comment process on the China 301 tariff issue. (RKS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India