**Washington DC**: The US Trade Representative condemns China’s non-market policies, linking them to US textile plant closures and a surge in cheap Chinese imports that undermine American manufacturers and exacerbate the trade deficit in 2024.
The United States has issued a strong warning regarding China’s trade practices in the textiles and apparel sector, attributing significant challenges to US manufacturers due to a series of non-market policies implemented by China. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) highlighted a worrying trend, noting that 28 manufacturing plants in the US have closed in the past 22 months, indicative of the mounting pressure faced by American producers.
In a post on X, the USTR stated, “In honour of National Textile Day, USTR is calling out the unfair trade practices undercutting the American textiles and apparel sector.” The post further emphasised that China’s policies provide unfair advantages to domestic manufacturers, allowing them to set artificially low prices. This dynamic has markedly hindered US textile and apparel manufacturers, contributing to the decline of local industries.
The USTR also noted that imports of apparel into the United States reached USD 79.3 billion in 2024, with 21% of this total stemming from China. Moreover, Chinese e-commerce firms reportedly accounted for over 30% of daily de minimis shipments into the US, allowing them to flood the American market with competitively priced apparel products while circumventing tariffs and trade enforcement measures. This influx of inexpensive goods has been particularly detrimental to US industries, especially in the Southeast.
The USTR provided additional context, stating that the overall trade in goods between the US and China totalled an estimated USD 582.4 billion in 2024. This comprised USD 143.5 billion in US goods exports to China—a decline of 2.9% from the previous year—and USD 438.9 billion in imports from China, which represented a 2.8% increase. The resultant trade deficit stood at USD 295.4 billion, reflecting a 5.8% rise compared to 2023.
These developments underscore the complexities of the US-China trade relationship, with ongoing tensions continuing to adversely affect American industries in the textiles and apparel sector, among others.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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