China has expressed "strong opposition" to the US government for its accepting an application to impose quotas on five Chinese textile products.

The application, accepted by the US Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements on Monday, covered skirts, pajamas, swimming suits, tatting shirts and socks.

Chong Quan, spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, said Tuesday night that such a move runs counter to the free trade principles of the World Trade Organization and encourages further abusive use of the special restrictive measures on the Chinese textile products.

Chong added that the move also hurts Chinese companies' and people's confidence in the international environment after China's entry into the WTO and thus will "definitely affect the balance of China's obligation and rights within the WTO".

Chong requested the United States to handle such applications discreetly in the future and stop misusing the restrictive measures in a bid to avoid imposing adverse effects on the overall China-US bilateral economic and trade relations.

This is the second time that the US authority has accepted a restrictive application after it accepted a similar one in July on Chinese curtains exported to the United States.

On Monday, the US Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements announced that it has decided to delay the decision to Aug. 31 on whether it will restrict the exports of six Chinese textile products including woolen trousers. China, in return, expressed appreciation.

He said China hopes the United States to take concrete measures before Aug. 31 in an effort "to find a solution satisfactory for both through consultations".

(Xinhua News Agency August 3, 2005)