Government offers help to country's textile-makers based in Africa

16 Jun '05

2 min read

A deluge of low-priced cloth and apparel from China to the rest of the world has affected the textile industry in Africa, and the government will send a professional group to help Taiwan textile makers there overcome their business difficulties, a government official said Thursday.

Wu Teh-yang, deputy director-general of the African Affairs Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, informed that a delegation composed of experts recommended by government agencies will visit textile makers from Taiwan operating in Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa and Swaziland in early July and provide them with suggestions on how to take on China's challenge.

According to Wu, the ministry will approve the name list of the specialists to be fielded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Bureau of Foreign Trade and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council. The removal of a world quota system on textile products early this year has led to a surge of cheaper textile exports from China to the European Union and the United States -- prompting its two major trading partners to impose limits on Chinese exports.

The textile industry in Africa, where many investors from Taiwan are operating, has also been dealt a blow indirectly, Wu said. Compared with the E. U. and the U. S., it is much more difficult for African countries to resist the situation due to their more primitive technologies, he explained. But he pointed out that many countries on the continent havebegun to address the issue out of a strong fear that foreign investment might flow out of their hard-earned textile industry.
begun to address the issue out of a strong fear that foreign investment might flow out of their hard-earned textile industry.

For instance, he said, the South African government has sought to talk over the issue with China after coming under fire from its trade and textile associations.

Government of Taiwan

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