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EU-China textile talks continue for 4th day
The European Union and China began a fourth day of talks on a textiles dispute that has left millions of items of Chinese-made clothes blocked at European ports, the Associated Press reported. Few details have emerged from the three previous days of talks to solve the row which has blown up two months after annual textile quotas were agreed in June. "They are constructive, and they're continuing to talk constructively," said a European Union spokesman in Beijing, who declined to comment on progress made so far. He earlier described Saturday's meeting as "frank" and said a solution to resolve the dispute was needed "as quickly as possible." China is also due to hold a fourth round of textile talks here next week with the United States, which is pushing to limit Chinese imports to protect its own industry. Some 75 million items of Chinese-made clothing are being stockpiled in European ports, including sweaters, trousers, blouses, T-shirts, bras and tons of flax yarn. Angry retailers have threatened to sue the EU over the blocked shipments. The talks are being held just two months after the EU and China signed a quota deal capping annual import growth rates on 10 Chinese textile products and averting a costly trade war. Chinese exports, surging since a global system on textile quotas was abolished at the beginning of the year, have already reached the annual limits in seven of the categories and European customs officials have refused to accept any more. The impasse has driven a rift between EU states hoping to protect their domestic textile manufacturers from cheap imports and the wealthier states that see the Chinese goods as bargains for consumers.
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