CHINA TEXTILE EXPORTS RECORD HIGH IN 1ST QUARTER
China's textile exports in the first
quarter reached a record 2.2 billion dlrs, an increase of 49
pct on the year-earlier period, the People's Daily said.
    Its overseas edition gave no country breakdown. The U.S. Is
one of China's largest markets for textiles.
    U.S. Commerce Secretary Malcolm Baldrige told a press
conference that Chinese textile and apparel exports to the U.S.
In 1986 rose 65 pct in value from the 1985 level, a rate of
growth that "is not sustainable nor equitable to our other major
foreign suppliers." China is now the United States' largest
textile supplier, he said.
    Baldrige declined to say what would be an acceptable growth
rate for Chinese textile exports. Negotiations on the next
China-U.S. Textile agreement are due to begin in May, he said.
    "There clearly has to be a limit," he said. "Our economy can
only absorb so much textiles. It is in both of our interests to
reach a satisfactory conclusion. Without an agreement, we would
have a chaotic situation."
 Reuter
