The US government has decided to re-impose quotas on three types of clothing imports from China, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez announced Friday.

The decision made by the Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements means that the amount of cotton trousers, cotton knit shirts and underwear that China can export to the United States will be limited to increase by just 7.5 percent this year, compared to shipments over a 12-month base period.

A government investigation had found that a surge in shipments from China since global quotas were eliminated on Jan. 1, 2005 was disrupting the domestic market, Gutierrez said in a statement.

(Xinhua News Agency May 14, 2005)