BOSTON, MA, May 22, 2003--Reacting to the publication yesterday, by the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA), of the procedures for the considering requests from the public for textile and apparel safeguard actions on imports from China, National Textile Association president Karl Spilhaus said, "We are pleased CITA has finally published the rules and now we think that is time for our government to act to invoke the safeguards which NTA and others in the textile industry have been requesting since last year."

"It has been abundantly clear since early 2002 that imports of Chinese origin textile and apparel products are severely disrupting the U.S. market," said Spilhaus, "We must take action forthwith," he continued, stating that these procedures are way overdue and that the administration has been dragging its feet on delivering promised relief to the textile industry.

Noting that the published procedure offers no opportunity for public comment, Spilhaus expressed concern about certain aspects of the rules. Spilhaus was particularly critical of CITA's failure to consider NAFTA and CBTPA cut-and-sew operations that use U.S.-made fabric. "China is displacing production throughout our hemisphere. For a decade or more our government --this administration and ones before it-- directed our industry to Mexico and the Caribbean as the safe haven from the threat of China. Now our industry is hemorrhaging as China batters our customers for U.S.-made textiles and CITA puts out rules that seem to say the safeguard mechanism does not apply here."

Concluded Spilhaus, "We've heard many promises and assurances from the administration; now let's see some action. It's time that the U.S. government actually use this safeguard to keep Chinese exports from totally undermining U.S. manufacturers of textiles and apparel."