BEIJING, April 29 -- The European Commission has officially decided to launch a 60-day' investigation into Chinese textile imports entering the EU in nine categories including T-shirts and blouses.

    The investigation was proposed by EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, who claimed Chinese products have disrupted the European market and the EU should impose protective measures.

    The Chinese government described the EU decision as violation of WTO rules and said it would hold informal talks with the EU next week on this matter.

    The WTO has urged the two sides to talk through their dispute amid fears that an outright clash would be a severe test for the global trade body. It also says two months of data are not sufficient for the European Union to make a true assessment.

    Meanwhile, the United States announced Thursday that it has accepted textile industry petitions seeking investigations of seven categories of Chinese textiles and apparel including shirts, sweaters, dressing gowns, and brassieres.

    This investigation is in addition to probes the U.S. launched on its own in early April to determine whether to restrict imports of pants, shirts, and underwear from China.

    Under the complex rules governing China's WTO accession, the European Union and the U.S. can restrict growth of textile imports from China to just 7.5 percent above the previous year if they cannot settle their disputes through talks.

    China can challenge the restriction measures in the WTO's disputes settlement body if it feels treated unfairly.

    
    (Source: CRIENGLISH.com)