"We oppose any Japanese restrictive measures against China's towel exports," Gao Yan, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Commerce, said yesterday.

The Japanese Government said on Monday it would extend for another six months the investigation period for restrictive measures against imports of Chinese-made towels.

This is the fourth time that Japan has prolonged investigations into towel imports from China since it started them in April 2001 in response to petitions from the Japanese Towel Industry Association.

The association aims to seek quotas on cheap Chinese textile imports.

The quotas, which are authorized by the World Trade Organization as a temporary safeguard, will last up to three years if implemented.

Growth in China's towel exports to Japan has steadied in the process, doing no harm to Japan's towel industry. The prolonged Japanese investigation is in conflict with the general international trend of trade liberalization for textiles, said Gao.

"We hope the Japanese Government will take into consideration deepening bilateral trade and economic co-operation, end the investigations as soon as possible, actively promote further co-operation in trade and various industries and avoid the adoption of any measures that harm bilateral trade ties for the benefit of stable long-term trade and economic co-operation between the two countries," she said.

Chinese towel businesses also called on their Japanese counterparts to stop seeking government curbs on Chinese towel imports.

Qian Changyong, president of the China Chamber of Commerce for the Import and Export of Textiles, warned that any rash action is unwise and will hamper trade relations between the two countries.

Qian suggested that the Japanese textile industry not rely on a temporary government policy but seek a lasting solution.

"Why don't the Japanese counterparts use their advanced technology to develop high-tech textile products instead of fearing the Chinese ones?" Qian said.

Cui Zhengquan, president of Lantai Towel Co Ltd based in Jiangsu Province, said Chinese towels are popular in Japan.

"Our high-quality, low-cost towels are welcomed by both textile importers and consumers in Japan," Cui said.

The quotas, if implemented, will harm the interests of Japanese consumers and run counter to the trend of world trade.

This is one of the attempts by Japanese industries to get the government to limit Chinese exports.

(China Daily April 16, 2003)