Tuesday, May 31, 2005

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保护自己的裤子

21世纪经济报道  2005-05-30 15:57:23





  
  本报记者 亚枫 北京报道
  
  望眼欲穿的后配额时代到来了,但中国纺织品行业并没有预想的那么乐观。2005年5月中旬,美国在一周时间内先后作出对中国的裤子、衬衫等7种敏感商品进行“特保”设限,此前,欧盟也启动了“特保”调查,美国和欧盟正在保护自己的裤子,中国的裤子开始遭殃。
  5月22日,中国政府决定对74种纺织品大幅提高出口税率,多数纺织品的税率提高为原来的5倍,抑制对美欧出口的过快增长。
  我们指责美欧国家对“自由贸易”原则的破坏,但中国纺织品行业是否亦应对本身行为沉思?
  5月26日,中国纺织品进出口商会秘书长王宇,在接待了一些因为美欧启动特保程序而陷入困境的纺织企业负责人后,接受了本报记者的专访。
  
  “我们很生气,后果较严重”
  《21世纪》:美欧启动特保之后,中国纺织品行业,尤其是其中一批中小企业将面临怎样的困境?
  王宇:一旦启动特保设限之后,欧盟和美国会根据相关条款规定,以过去24个月的前12个月的出口总量上浮7.5%设定一个限度。因为中美、中欧间没有海关间的双边核查,美欧会根据单方面的海关统计决定清关率,这对中国纺织企业是相当不利的。中国纺织企业认识到问题的严重性,因此出口商和进口商纷纷抢夺额度,抓紧出口,结果一年的额度可能在两三个月之间就会被用完。那些纯粹做外贸加工的企业,在本年度接下来的时间会没有订单可接,相关企业只能处于停产半停产状态。
  《21世纪》:中国的纺织企业存在成本转移可能?王宇:虽然中国提高纺织品的出口关税,很多进口商还会选择中国的纺织品,因为中国纺织企业相对成熟,工人技术水平比较高,对进口商的需求比较了解。而进口商改订单,重新选择进口对象的成本也非常高。在大的买家看来,信誉是第一位的,他们不希望自己的产品有问题。但长期来看,关键还要看美欧设限的动向是什么,如果设限的压力足够大,进口商也会选择放弃的。
  《21世纪》:美国和欧盟在中国已经提高关税的情况下,会进一步对中国纺织品提出特保调查吗?
  王宇:实际上,美国国内提请纺织品特保的有15个类别,目前实施的有7个,再加上另外受关注的几个类别,中国纺织业至少还有10个类别仍在美国特保调查视野之内。同时,欧盟方面只是对九个提请特保调查类别中的“T恤衫”、“亚麻纱”提请特保调查,并在15天启动,其他类别并未被排除在外。
  《21世纪》:您如何看待中国提高部分纺织品关税的行为?
  王宇:此次中国对部分纺织品加征关税,主要是出于对全行业的未来发展考虑,同时也在向世界表明中国是个负责的大国,不会放任出口无限度的扩大。但是在客观上,提高关税会增加中国部份纺织企业的生产成本。根据此次关税调整的情况看,低工艺、低附加值的企业会面临较大的压力。
  《21世纪》:目前市场存在担心,认为一方面中国自主提高关税,另一方面,美国和欧盟又启动了特保程序,中国纺织企业将会在双重压力下生存,中国纺织品企业是否承受得了?
  王宇:中国政府加征关税的目的是为了控制有关类别的无序出口,美欧启动特保设限的目的也在于此,一旦对方设限,中国政府将不会继续对相关企业加税。因此,这种担心是没有必要的。
  
  “我们需要反思”
  《21世纪》:本来配额制取消之后,中国纺织企业可能会迎来春天,但是现在看来预计过于乐观,问题出在哪里?
  王宇:根本原因还是在美国和欧盟方。1995年纺织品服装协议正式启动,按规定,10年之后,所有有关纺织品的配额限制全部取消,纺织品可以自由贸易。正常的开放进程是,到2002年1月1日,美欧就应取消51%的限制,但直到2004年12月31日,美欧仍然保留了70%以上的类别,而且全是敏感类别的进品配额限制。也就是说10年来美欧一直在拖延,把压力留在了最后一分钟。2005年1月1日,美欧一下子需要承受来自70%的纺织品类别的进口压力,自然就会感觉“冲击”剧烈。
  《21世纪》:从另一个角度来看,中国企业的行为客观上是否也为美国和欧盟提供了借口?
  王宇:中国纺织企业对2005年以后形势在认识上确实也出了问题。对中国入世,很多企业、中介机构看得太乐观。商会一直强调,加入WTO以后,美欧还有很多手段引发贸易争端,特保只是其中之一,还有反倾销、反垄断、反补贴、技术标准和环境标准,有很多很多手段进行限制。中国的纺织企业太多,能够听进去这种声音的企业很少。更有甚者,一些企业2004年接到的订单却有意拖到2005年,这样就可以节省找配额的成本,今年个别品种纺织产品出口增幅巨大,与此也不无关系。
  《21世纪》:我们经常听到国外对中国纺织业指责的声音,如相互压价,过度竞争,纺织业投资也过剩现象,这成了中国纺织业的一个症结。
  王宇:国家纺织工业协会一直在压锭,一度压到过3000万锭,但企业还是通过各种渠道扩张,现在又增加到6000万锭。但中国纺织企业的扩张是平面式的,只是简单的产能扩张,达到盈利的目的。而在研发和设计上,企业的投入非常低,R&D经费比率只有1%,而这一比率在欧盟和美国要达到8%以上。同时,纺织品的出口经销渠道也掌握在别人手中,中国纺织企业只是在做中间利润最薄的领域,而且还有众多企业在抢,巨额利润都被其他的人拿走了。据我们测算,2004年中国从事进出口贸易的纺织企业有3.8万家,今年已经达到4万家,而且这些都是规模在500万以上的。结果造成纺织行业的利润率非常低,纺织品在3%-5%,服装行业也只有5%-8%。
  
  “爬到积雨云的上方”
  《21世纪》:与反倾销不同,美国和欧盟启动特保程序,将贸易争端变成了政府间的博弈,中国的纺织企业应该有哪些作为?
  王宇:首先,对被提出反倾销诉讼的,中国企业要积极应诉。其次,特保虽然是政府行为,更多地需要政府谈判解决,但是,按规定特保也应有公众评论期,因此企业应该增加收集信息和参与的意识,而不能单纯指望政府和商会。企业在第一线,只有他们的大量意见,才能给特保的审核造成心理上的压力和震撼。
  其次,中国的纺织企业应该进行业务转型和产业升级,好比“积雨云”,如果你已经爬到了云层上方,那么再大的雷暴也不会影响到你,但是如果一直处于低空,那么,任何的天气变化,你都得承受。
  《21世纪》:中国的纺织企业好像也有点“有组织无纪律”,纺织行业是否应该制定严格的行规?
  王宇:制定行规可以,关键还是自律。但是,中国的纺织企业太多了,从执行层面上看,严格的行规只是种威慑,太多的企业踩线,就会法不责众,最后不了了之。现在除了商会之外,还有中国纺织工业协会和外商投资企业协会等大批行业组织,在应对特保事情上,只要行业组织能积极行动起来,还是有效果的。
  《21世纪》:当前的局面是不是中国纺织产业政策变化的契机?
  王宇:应该是这样的。产业政策上,我们一直强调,中国企业应该向上游走,除了贴牌之外,还应该走到设计领域,这一领域的利润率较高。另外还鼓励中国企业走出去,到发达国家并购企业,把握零售终端、销售终端。同时,鼓励中国纺织企业向国外转移,改变原产地,纺织产业也要升级,产业工人也要升级。同时,近期也将会有一系列的政策出台,以前的“言辞一直在鼓励,实质一直在考虑”状况将会改变。


  王宇  资料图片

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纺织品之后,谁是下一个

21世纪经济报道  2005-05-30 15:51:50




  本报记者 谢飞 深圳报道
  
  “纺织品税率提高的模式如果被复制,就可能会波及其他行业,纺织行业就是一段生产链条,如果要猜测下一个选谁,那些附加值低、出口量大的产品会比较危险。”
    
  大成基金研究部总监助理曹雄飞担心的是:现在是纺织品,下一个行业会是谁?
  
  危险的家电?
  纺织品出口关税税率的提高,让纺织行业的股票遭受黑色星期一。周一(4月23日)开市当天,雅戈尔(600177)、杉杉股份(600884)、中国纺机(600610)等纺织类以及与纺织相关行业的股票被打到跌停。
  基金经理们担心,现在纺织品的税率提高,是否会有下一个行业出现类似情况?
  诺贝尔经济学奖获得者约瑟夫·斯蒂格利茨教授日前表示,中国对纺织品征收出口税和提高人民币汇率会对中国出口产生类似的效果:使出口商品在其他国家看起来价格更高。
  由于纺织品提高税率,实际上产生了和人民币升值的类似效果,因此被一些学者担心,是否会通过提高部分行业的出口税率,来缓解人民币升值的压力。
  曹雄飞说,由于效果相近,因此,征收出口税对于调整汇率能否奏效起到了投石问路的作用,从而避免直接提高汇率所造成的一些重大代价。
  本报记者的调查显示,由于出口税率的提高,纺织重镇绍兴的纺织企业已有25%的生产线停工。中国纺织工业协会新闻发言人孙淮滨20日在北京表示,中国企业为建立全球纺织品贸易新秩序做出了“牺牲”。
  但基金经理们担心的是,现在是纺织品,是否会很快波及到其他出口相关行业?
  曹雄飞说:“一两个季度之内,或者在可以看到的期间范围内,在可以操作的相对短的时间内,我们觉得汇率不会调整。”
  有基金公司认为,如果短期内调整汇率,会造成中国经济的通缩。
  曹雄飞表示:“纺织品税率提高的模式如果被复制,就可能会波及其他行业,纺织行业就是一段生产链条,如果要猜测下一个选谁,那些附加值低、出口量大的产品会比较危险。”
  广发基金投资总监朱平认为:“有可能波及的其他行业,要动的可能是贸易摩擦大的行业,比如玩具、鞋等,但是可能性最大的是机电行业。”
  曹雄飞也表示,家电行业可能会比较危险,因为这些行业的贸易摩擦本来就比较多,极其容易爆发与纺织品类似的问题。
  
  基金对策
  曹雄飞表示,对于汇率的影响,各家基金公司都非常重视,首先是密切跟踪,去分析各种可能性,然后一旦市场预期发生变化,资产配置就要发生变化,而不是盯着不动。具体到应对策略,就要充分分析其对行业的影响,对证券市场的影响。
  对出口依存度大的行业,基金一般都作了回避。纺织是出口依存度最大的行业,因此,基金实际上在纺织行业上的配置非常少,因为大部分基金都预期到纺织行业可能面临汇率等出口问题。
  另外一些依存度比较大的,如家电行业,基金也少有介入。个别股票,如中兴通讯(000063)之类出口量很大的企业,基金也担心会受到汇率的影响。港口行业,曹雄飞认为,过去就是超负荷运转的,现在减少一点应该影响比较小,港口的议价能力比较强。影响上市公司的因素是多方面的,这类企业的关键在于是否有更好的因素对冲人民币升值因素。
  他认为,一些原材料需大量进口的行业,会从人民币升值中获益。在国内上市公司中,该类行业主要有造纸(因为纸浆都是进口的)、航空(飞机都是靠贷款购买,人民币升值会产生财务收益)等。
  朱平认为:从长远来看,要解决人民币升值压力,简单升值不是最后办法。
  他说:“全球都在关注经济(发展)不均衡的问题,大家都在关注附加值低的行业造成的市场的不均衡,解决这个问题,中国要增加内需,更多的是依靠提升产品附加值来实现。中国的储蓄率比较高,经济发烧,是因为顺差比较大,而升值是欧美开的一种退烧药,提高出口税率也是一种退烧药,升值实际上是治标,发烧实际上是中国内在经济增长的不均衡的表现,只有提升产品附加值才是治本。”
  他认为,形成更具弹性的汇率是不可避免的,这也是调整我们的产业结构的压力和动力。长远来看,中国的汇率是否要提高,这要看我们的工资、经济增长水平,短期来看(汇率)还是可以忍受,短期不是一个经济问题。

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纺织贸易自由化:133天真实的幻觉

21世纪经济报道  2005-05-30 14:34:34




  本报评论员 王梓 主持
  
  中国作为一个发展中大国,一直在思考和研究怎样做一个对世界负责任的国家,一直努力研究制定如何建立起出口协调机制、避免与发展中国家根本利益发生直接冲突等问题。
    
  2005年5月18日,美国商务部宣布,美国纺织品协议执行委员会以“市场扰乱威胁”为由,做出了对来自中国的化纤制针织衬衫等三种纺织品采取特别限制措施的决定。这距离美政府对从中国进口的棉制裤子等3种纺织品的设限决定不到一周的时间,距离4月4日美国发起的为期90天的相关调查尚不足45天。根据这一决定,中国进入美国市场的这七类纺织商品数量今年最多只能增长7.5%。
  与此同时,欧盟与中国的谈判也正在进行,一旦欧盟贸易专员曼德尔森与中国商务部副部长高虎城的会谈至5月31日仍无共识,欧盟将对中国T恤和麻纱两类纺织品启动“紧急特保”程序。
  美国、欧盟当局对中国纺织服装产品发起特保措施的法律依据是《中华人民共和国加入世贸组织议定书》第十六条“特定产品过渡性保障机制”。实施此条款的实际背景,则是中国纺织服装产业在“后配额时代”于今年开启之后,生产和出口能力爆炸式的增长,这种增长直接冲击了进口国家的相关行业。据美国劳工部统计,美国纺织品和服装行业2月份有5600人失业,占该行业劳动力总数的8%。而美国的两次设限则可能给中国带来上10万工人的失业。双方的博弈才刚刚开始。
  5月23日,本报特别邀请了国家发改委对外经济研究所所长张燕生、国务院发展研究中心外资部副部长赵晋平、银河证券首席经济学家左小蕾、商务部研究院研究员梅新育、北京大学光华管理学院中国经济与WTO研究所所长单忠东共聚21世纪北京圆桌第48期,就如何应对后配额时代的机遇与挑战等问题进行了讨论。
    
  “一周两设限”背后的利益逻辑
  《21世纪》:美国分别于5月13日、5月18日两次对中国纺织品进行设限,这种行为背后的真实利益原因是什么?
  赵晋平:相隔只有五天时间,美国连续两次对中国纺织品贸易发难,在历史上是比较少见的。从大的政策背景来看,这次发难和美国2002年至2003年大的政策调整有关。由于长期的巨额贸易赤字,使美国政府受到来自国内各方面的强大压力。迫于这些压力,美国政府已经将寻求国际收支平衡作为重要的政策目标。尤其是在近两年,服务业也大量通过外包方式转向印度和马来西亚等地区的背景下,美国政府的贸易政策必然向贸易保护主义行为倾斜,从而加大对中国等发展中国家对美出口的打压力度。
  所以,不要认为美国对中国的纺织品服装采取这样的限制措施,是在维护ATC(即通过乌拉圭回合8年谈下来的《全球纺织品和服装协议》)一体化平稳过渡和既定的规则,实际上完全是出于一种国内利益的需要,是为了达到贸易保护目的的需要,从根本上看,是违背自由贸易精神的。
  张燕生:中国纺织品出口激增不仅影响到美国纺织服装业生产商、贸易商等相关利益集团的利益,而且影响到了与美国相关的势力范围。美国是从全球的角度来考虑其政治、经济和贸易格局的,比如面料生产方面,根据《加勒比法案》和《撒哈拉沙漠以南国际法案》,这两个地区进行面料生产再出口到美国,是美国贸易的一部分,其他国家很难进入。
  单忠东:简单的说,两次设限的利益原因,可以归纳为经济牌和政治牌。经济上是因为美国的双赤字———预算赤字和贸易赤字———制约着美国经济发展;政治上在于,与纺织品行业相关的农业主在利益受损之后要求政府的解决,涉及到选票等原因。其实美国纺织品行业真正受冲击的就业人口很少,损失也不大,所以政治牌的意义可能比经济牌更大。
  《21世纪》:美国采取的措施对我国纺织业会造成什么影响?我们如何看待这种影响?
  张燕生:特保措施对我国的纺织服装业影响很大,特殊保障措施允许出口方在双边磋商期间的出口增长率是7.5%,这对中国最具竞争优势的出口产业、出口基数在全球纺织品配额体系中被人为大大压低、一旦实现全球纺织品贸易一体化必然出现恢复性增长的现实相比,美国动用特保手段无疑是一种贸易利己主义和对中国不公平待遇的做法。我们曾做过模型分析,结果显示,如果中国主要纺织品出口受到特保条款制裁,对纺织服装行业以及相关行业的就业、产出等方面所产生的影响是非常大的。
  左小蕾:重要的是要学会国际游戏的玩法。在国际市场上的一些关键问题改变的当口,我们应该有前瞻性的判断。我们不能只停留在最后抗议的层面,否则会像这次一样,不但纺织品出口受到损失还使人民币升值的压力增大。
  张燕生:在实现全球纺织服装贸易一体化之前的几年前,中国政府和有关行业协会、商会及企业就意识到这个问题的重要性,美国及其他经济体可以根据我国加入WTO的承诺,甚至不需要通过国内法,就可以对我国实行特保。不仅仅是美国、欧盟会这么做,而且一些发展中国家也会这么做。因为在全球化的开放环境中,各国的收益是不同的。如在过去有全球配额的时候,有些发展中小国是可以卖配额或通过配额出口美欧市场;而在取消了全球配额的情况下,则要通过竞争取得市场份额,这些国家的纺织品不但不能出口,甚至连卖配额的钱都收不到。但不能因为美欧本国利益和一些国家利益受损,就逆转贸易自由化的基本趋势。
  单忠东:我认为对纺织品问题应该有平常心。虽然情势严峻,但前景也还是比较乐观的,统计表明,世界上百分之六七十的贸易摩擦案例是通过私下和解解决的,而没有通过WTO争端机制。同样的问题,如果发生在欧美,常常是很小的反应,并不像我们这样大肆炒作。
  梅新育:这是因为对不同国家的冲击不一样,美国纺织品服装部门就业人口才7万人,可是我国有1900万人,本次设限后中国纺织品行业就要有10万以上的失业人口,比美国整个纺织品服装行业就业人口还多,肯定两个国家的反应程度不一样。
  
  美国纺织品设限的国内和国际法悖论
  《21世纪》:美国在纺织品方面的措施是否遵循了相关的国际准则?其国内法依据又如何?
  赵晋平:按照当时的中国入世议定书,美国按照世贸规则或者是议定书的承诺来对纺织品实施的过渡性限制有三种:一种是纺织品特别限制条款,过渡期到2008年;第二种是特定产品过渡性保障机制;第三种是关于反倾销非市场经济地位的认定,过渡期为15年。仅从这三种手段本身来说,使用的难易程度和实际效果差别非常大。从反倾销手段来说,它对于出口的负面影响是非常强的,但是要经过严密的法律程序,所需要的时间周期也比较长,执行起来实际上有难度。而且对于纺织品服装贸易本身,因为品种非常多,海关调查在执行上有难度。所谓的纺织品特限条款,相对来说在使用方面比较容易。在2008年之前这三种手段可以交叉使用,但随时间变化要有调整。
  从操作程序上来说,纺织品的特别限制属于行政措施,并没有严格的法律程序,只要经过美国商务部纺织品协议行政委员会认定存在“市场扰乱”或者“市场扰乱威胁”,就可以实施。
  对于连续两次的纺织品设限,归纳起来,我想着重强调两点。第一点,美国对我国纺织品服装采取限制是沿用了入世议定书和WTO的规定,但是,问题在于执行这些规定的过程中,并不都是准确客观的标准,有很大的主观性。第二点,现有的规则或者条款本身的合理性值得质疑。比如说中国的纺织品服装出口,很长时间是在配额分配非常不公平的状况下所得到的额度,是和中国这样一个生产能力大国不相适应的。
  梅新育:我想说一点,就是今年一季度为什么我国对美欧纺织服装出口增幅比较大,很大程度上就是美欧违反世贸组织协定的结果。1994年世贸组织达成《纺织品与服装协定》的时候,其中第二条是一体化条款,规定从1995年1月1日起到2005年1月1日,这10年过渡期分4次把配额取消,其中到2002年1月1日,就是倒数第二次取消配额的时候,应该是取消了51%的配额,2005年取消剩下的49%。但是,美欧的做法是把70%的配额留到了2005年1月1日,正是他们的这种违约行为导致中国厂商在2004年没有赢得他们按照世贸组织《纺织品与服装协定》本来应当赢得的市场份额,这才有了今年一季度的出口高增幅。举一个典型的例子。此次棉制针织衬衣(338/339类)在5月13日就第一批被纳入美国的特保范畴,理由是今年一季度中国棉制针织衬衣对美出口同比增幅高达1257.87%,这个增幅可能是最大的。但是,2004年中国对美该项产品出口量仅占美国进口总量的0.87%,这一份额仅相当于中美洲小国洪都拉斯的5.15%。虽然今年一季度中国棉制针织衬衣对美出口同比增幅高达1257.87%,但总量也不过相当于洪都拉斯的52.02%,墨西哥的67.65%,占美国全部进口的7.15%。
  张燕生:美国此次公布的申诉程序,依据就是美国1974年贸易法修订后的421条款和《中国加入WTO工作组报告书》的242条。但是,美国的国内法已经大大超过了中国入世承诺,中国的承诺是本条款下采取的任何措施有限期不能超过一年,不得申请延期,而美国把这个变成了没有再次申诉的情况下,该数量限制的期限不应超过一年。这样美国就能反复申诉,反复采取措施。
  梅新育:美国、欧盟对中国纺织品实施特别保障措施,其法律依据是世贸组织《中国加入工作组报告书》第242条款和《中华人民共和国加入世贸组织议定书》第十六条“特定产品过渡性保障机制”,且不提不少支持实施特别保障措施的西方人自己也承认这两项条款本身并不公平,即使是这两项并不公正的条款,美国政府的做法也从程序上违规了。
  某些美国纺织业者在4月4日刚刚宣布发起调查时就公然呼吁美国政府不经过法定的90天调查期就直接限制中国产品,充分显示出这些势力为了维护自身利益存在不惜践踏法律的危险倾向。作为美国人的1990年诺贝尔经济学奖得主、芝加哥大学教授默顿·米勒(Merton Miller)就说过:美国政府在贸易谈判中使用的“谈判”一词具有极其陌生的含义,在谈判中可供讨论的问题只是对方做多大、多快让步,我们拿来与他们作为交换的条件,少得只差用拳头痛击他们,这完全是一个劫匪和一个良民所做的交易。
  张燕生:确实,真正的挑战在于,美国与欧洲,任何一个国家都可以根据WTO议定书和工作报告单方面采取措施制裁中国,没有道理可讲。只要其他国家单方面认定中国的出口行为产生对本国的市场扰乱,就可以申诉并加以追究。
  梅新育:令人担心的这种做法不仅是美欧政府官员的风格,而且深入到许多社会精英头脑里面。有西方发达国家的社会精英就很明确地说,他承认这个条款不公正,但既然这个条款规定了赋予他们限制中国出口商品的权利,他们就要用,而且中国产品是否构成扰乱,由他们说了算。尤其是美国,明确规定他们的国内法高于国际法,因此他们在世界大国中遵守国际承诺的记录最糟糕,借用美国国务院发明的词汇,简直就是国际贸易界头号“无赖国家”。
  张燕生:厉害的是:这种特保制裁具有传染性,一旦有一个国家单方面制裁,贸易就可能发生转移,中国有这么大的产能,产品出口全世界,可能引起更多的国家参与制裁。这就很可怕。
  赵晋平:别的国家也担心,美国一旦采取措施进行限制,中国的纺织品就会转移进入本国的市场。
  张燕生:这是贸易转移产生的制裁。另外要重视的是,纺织服装问题所引申出来的用特保条款限制中国出口增长,绝对不仅仅会造成纺织服装的直接利益损失。
  
  “后配额时代”机遇与挑战  
  现有的规则或者条款本身的合理性值得质疑。比如说中国的纺织品服装出口,很长时间是在配额分配非常不公平的状况下所得到的额度,是和中国这样一个生产能力大国不相适应的。
  
  《21世纪》:在配额取消前后,国际利益格局的变化如何?左小蕾:很关键的一点是,国际市场不清楚,取消配额后中国纺织品出口的增长是一次性的增长,还是以后相当长的时间内都保持像今年第一季度这样的增长?如果是持续性增长,那肯定别国是承受不了的。
  赵晋平:没有足够的数据和证据证明这种增长具有长期持续性。在一体化之前很多企业做好了准备,在2003年前我们做调查时发现,一些民营企业有一半产能在闲置,以备一体化之后应急。很多外商投资企业也盯住这机会,加大了投资,纺织业的固定资产投资2004年初增长了151%,但这种趋势后来明显放缓。特别是到去年年底,纺织投资增长回落到26%。现在这样一种井喷式的增长,是过去长时期受到配额限制的能量得到释放的结果,并不存在长期持续如此高速增长的。
  纺织品并不是由国内转向国外,整体来看,一季度出口本身的增长中,纺织品服装只有16%左右,但国内纺织品服装消费增长是24%。国外出口的增长,根据目前统计数据来看,由于一体化之后,成本下降在50%的产业占了相当多。因为配额是一种商品,要花很多钱,大概占终端市场30%左右。所以,在不考虑竞争因素的情况下,从理论上来推测,去掉配额可能带来的成本下降是20%-30%。这种价格的调整对需求量有影响。但我认为它也不是一个长期增长的趋势。
  一季度增长本身来说,有很多情况是值得分析的,我国过去纺织品服装出口,有相当部分是通过第三国出口的,配额放开以后,这部分又回到中国,所以对美国和欧盟出口统计数字上,这样客观又增长了一些。
  从企业来源来看,出口增长的三分之一是由外商投资企业完成,增量当中70%是由外商投资企业增长的,实际上也就是跨国公司在共同分享的结果。所以不能单纯地讲是中国的企业、中国的消费者和中国的劳动力在分享。
  单忠东:从后配额时代利益格局来说,对中国肯定是一个好机会,份额有加大的可能性。同时,配额取消后,中国的确还会和其它发展中国家有摩擦。我认为,不能让纺织品问题政治化,否则,就会造成发达国家与发展中国家一起对中国发难。
  梅新育:确实,在纺织品争端问题上,中国不太容易采用以前惯用的发展中国家统一战线的手段,因为中国与很多发展中国家在这一点上也存在利益冲突。2004年3月,50多个国家的90多个组织在土耳其发布了《伊斯坦布尔宣言》,要求世贸组织延长纺织品配额体制,就是针对中国和印度的。发起《伊斯坦布尔宣言》的16个国家绝大多数都是发展中国家,其中13个来自非洲,多数同我国政治关系友好,其中坦桑尼亚、赞比亚等国还是我们的“全天候战略伙伴”。
  张燕生:把责任全推到中国人身上是不合适的。首先世界银行要负起责任,1987年世行的发展报告就向全世界发展中国家推崇东亚模式,当时,中国、巴西、印度就提出,如果中印巴像东亚四小龙那样,搞外向型经济模式,一切为了出口,世界会无法承受。其次美欧等经济大国也负有责任,全球纺织品贸易一体化的四个阶段中,发达国家采取了贸易机会主义做法,首先开放的是冷门产品、低价值产品、与本国关系最少的产品,直到第四阶段的最后一刻,还努力延长全球配额制度。在本轮WTO谈判中,发展中国家就提出,在新一轮多边贸易规则谈判时,要对乌拉圭回合以来的协议执行情况进行总结和调整。也就是大多数发展中国家对纺织品贸易、农业贸易的开放是不满意的。中国作为一个发展中大国,一直在思考和研究怎样做一个对世界负责任的国家,一直努力研究制定如何建立起出口协调机制、避免与发展中国家根本利益发生直接冲突等问题。
  《21世纪》:目前中国纺织品行业的状况以及在取消配额之后纺织品的产业机遇如何?
  赵晋平:就现状而言,我国贸易规模确实在不断扩大,贸易摩擦相应增加很正常。从反倾销结果和受到反倾销所涉及到案件总的金额来说,相对于贸易总额,特别是出口总额,占的比例非常低。当然不能说没给企业带来影响,尤其是直接涉案的企业。但从贸易发展大局来说,影响有限。这是一个非常基本的认识。
  “后配额时代”的格局对中国确实是一个很重要的机遇,必须重视这个机会。2004年这个行业的产值是14000亿左右人民币,出口达到了900多亿美元。而且,前两年的贸易顺差相当于中国贸易顺差总额的两倍多,没有这一块,整个贸易很难保持平衡。它对国民经济是至关重要的一个领域。现有的产能是足够的,如果真正能够实现纺织品贸易的自由化,中国的出口增长仍然有较大空间。
  张燕生:纺织服装业作为传统行业,一般贸易远超过加工贸易的增长,目前行业的生产集中度也很高,在总产能大幅增加的情况下进口量也非常大。该行业的机遇就在于,它是中国最典型的竞争优势的行业。在日益自由贸易的情况下,大国最具竞争优势的产业怎么发展,这是一个新的考验。第一,这个行业相当一部分必然要出口,大国的竞争优势产业怎么出口是必须要解决的。第二,这个行业的未来成长,很大程度上取决于国际环境,包括国际沟通、协调与合作,对中国来说这是非常重要的课题。第三,是积极参与现有的国际贸易规则体系,还是另辟奚径?我认为,应该学习如何在现有国际体系框架中维护本国根本利益。
  
  破除纺织品发展阻力
  有分析表明,美国的一些低端产品生产转移到中国以后,可能失去150万个就业机会。但是中国再把产品卖回去的时候,为其流通部门创造的就业机会是400万个。
  
  《21世纪》:我国要怎么破除阻碍纺织品行业发展的那堵墙呢?从企业和政府两个方面,分别如何应对?纺织品行业又该如何定位?
  张燕生:我们通过最近的大量企业调查得知,无论是企业还是政府,对如何应对新时期出现的新情况和新问题,对全球纺织品贸易自由化可能带来的利弊影响仍缺少足够的准备。对于纺织企业来讲,要在加入WTO的后过渡期集中应对来自美、欧以及其他方面实施的特保、反倾销、企业的社会责任、环保等外部冲击,应对棉花、能源,以及其他原材料的涨价及价格大幅波动的内部冲击,应对人民币汇率、出口退税率等调整的预期压力,以及技术和产品转型升级的竞争压力,企业不仅缺少足够的信息、知识、人才和机制的准备,也缺少应对上述复杂形势的经验。对于政府部门而言,在建立国际沟通、协调和谈判机制方面,在发展国内出口协调机制、预警机制以及政策和信息披露机制方面,在促进企业和行业协会与政府部门之间合作互动方面,仍缺少足够的经验。
  赵晋平:在不断扩大贸易规模的背景下,会不断遇到类似问题。尤其现在我国贸易结构有一个很大的问题:事实上在承担整个亚洲地区,特别是东亚地区出口导向型经济的结果,也就是大量的产业转移到我国,这是全球化的一个结果,是新的亚洲贸易模式所带来的。从这个角度来讲,我们需要从结构调整方面来考虑。至少这两年贸易顺差规模并没有发生太大的变化。但是,双边贸易失衡正在继续扩大,这是一个不争的事实。
  今后政策着力点,就在于如何设法消除双边贸易失衡可能带来的各种各样的压力和贸易争端。我们调研时有很多企业提出,如果我们在采购面料时,更多去采购了美国生产的面料,或者是它的机械,增加产品中美国或者是欧盟产品的含量,也许可以减少引发摩擦的机会。欧盟有先例,如产品里含有他的产品比较高,在普惠制下可以实行优惠。
  另一方面,要解决这个问题,重点还在于自身的结构调整,在品牌、价格和技术升级方面要提高。还有,要引导企业掌握国际规则,能够按照国际规则来进行国际化经营。现在企业的低价竞争是带来大量贸易摩擦直接原因。另外,现在发达国家的贸易壁垒已经远远超过了传统意义的内涵,如技术壁垒、反倾销等,增加了许多如劳工标准、环保标准,甚至企业的社会责任、社会贡献等等,这是非传统的贸易壁垒,中方企业远未具备适应这些壁垒的能力。
  当然还要发挥行业协会的作用,这也是在去年研究后配额时代影响时提出的观点。不论对于企业提出预警,还是规范和引导企业行为,行业协会可以做大量的工作。
  张燕生:对于行业协会来说,虽然在国际和国内都做了大量工作,但在与世界主要经济体和竞争对手的同业组织、利益相关机构、公共关系机构建立广泛和经常性联系,加强沟通,增进了解,寻求合作方面,在出现重大贸易摩擦并有可能引发争端时,全力配合政府部门做工作,如搜集情报与数据、制定应对预案、多面交涉与游说、媒体宣传报道、司法准备与反制措施等,显得力度远远不够。
  左小蕾:一个成长中的大国,要学会给自己争取生存的世界空间,这是更大的智慧。中方出口产品,特别是轻工业产品,大多数是附加值很低的加工业产品,许多原料是进口的,许多只是对进口的中间产品进行加工,附加值是很低的。比如,每出口一个芭比娃娃只有35美分收益,在美国的沃尔玛售价却是十美元,中间大量的收益谁得去了?除去沃尔玛之外,中间流通环节获益最多。有分析表明,美国的一些低端产品生产转移到中国以后,可能失去150万个就业机会。但是中国再把产品卖回去的时候,为其流通部门创造的就业机会是400万个,150万个失去工作机会的方面会用最大的声音制造影响施加压力要求保护,但是得到的400万个工作机会的方面不会向世界宣布他们得到的好处。特别是出口产品的生产商很多是外资企业,其实在生产环节上,外资也是主要获利方之一。
  同时由于国际贸易中传统的成本转移模式,中国的许多加工企业原来在泰国、马来西亚、中国台湾和香港生产,同时出口其他国家。当这些企业为了中国的成本优势转移到中国后,因为最终产地是中国,所有的产品都变成中国出口,造成中国的出口量剧增的假相。
  这些国际贸易格局的变化,特别是利益分配情况,要做仔细的分析,并公之于“世”。保持与国际社会,特别是贸易伙伴之间的对话和交流,使互相之间明白自已的利益所在,发挥各方的比较优势,促进国际贸易各方的利益最大化。这是WTO创造的推动贸易自由化,避免贸易战,促进国际贸易发展的模式。我们要充分利用这一模式。
  梅新育:本来,现在的国际分工和国际贸易格局对发达国家总体上非常有利。正如薄熙来部长讲的,我国卖八亿件衬衫,才能买一架空中客车A380。那么,为什么发达国家还会限制我们呢?这是因为在国际贸易中一个国家的受益方和受冲击方是不完全重合的。在欧洲对华贸易中,空中客车制造部门受益,欧洲纺织品服装行业受损。要消除摩擦,通过“调整援助”等机制用受益方的一部分收益帮助受冲击方转业,可能是一个办法。另外,可不可以要求在多边贸易谈判中设置这个新议题?这也许有助于缓解发达国家对我国出口增长的抵制。
  纺织品服装这种出口比例很高的产业,怎样有秩序地发展?从风险控制来说,对这一轮纺织业高投资,政府前几年就采取了调控措施,但在很大程度上被企业规避了。其中一个相当突出的问题是,政府能够有效约束完全内资企业的投资规模,外资企业却能够规避。这就提出了这样一个问题:在国际经济一体化环境中实施产业政策,要调控过热产业有序发展,如何提高产业政策的有效性?
  这次纺织服装争端在别的国家已经引起了一些余波,20日巴西的发展工业和对外部宣布,将要颁布两项法令,限制进口中国商品,以便保护本国工业。其中有一项限制措施针对来自于中国所有的商品,有效期到2013年。另外一项法令针对中国纺织品,有效期到2008年。巴西是一个有8000万贫困人口的国家,谁能给那8000万人提供他们能够消费得起的商品?现有的讨论大部分都是围绕欧美市场。可是,欧美市场在我国纺织品出口总额里面并没有占到一半,2001年是21%,去年是24.5%,今年一季度是33.3%,也就是三分之一。不能为了满足三分之一的市场,减少摩擦,而丢了另外三分之二的市场,那样做得不偿失。
  
  加征出口税的社会责任替代可能
  至于增收出口税,作为当机立断的应对措施,是比较有操作性的。但是从更实质的行业改造和发展的角度,还是要完善企业制度建设。
  
  《21世纪》:我国已宣布从6月1日起提高74种纺织品出口关税税率,诸位估计,这个措施对于降低纺织品出口压力会否有效?还有没有其他的选择?
  赵晋平:实际上早在一体化正式实行之前,中方按照规则采取了相应的手段,只不过没有达到预期的效果。第一,2005年1月1日开始,已经对148种纺织品增收出口关税,虽然它并没有取得很大的效果。第二是申请出口自动许可制度,海关根据登记出口的情况提供预警,企业可以根据预警自我调整。第三是在出口退税调整方面采取措施。这些措施随着形势的变化,还在不断调整中,如从6月1日起,对74中原配额产品出口关税由原来每件两毛钱提高到一块,提高了五倍。所以,在ATC一体化之前,中方已经预见可能发生的情况,而且根据入世议定书或者世贸组织规则采取了措施,维护平稳过渡。但是,目前的情况是这些措施所得到的结果和预期的效果之间有差距。
  左小蕾:我认为,第一季度纺织品出口增加,造成较大的外贸顺差和外汇积累,大大增加了外部世界对人民币升值的压力。与其让别人逼着升值,还不如让国内产业升级换代。我国目前的企业的制度很不完善,劳工福利、社保、医保都不健全,如果让企业落实这些,成本自然而然就高了,出口产品的价格就相应地升高了,对出口行业当然产生了成本约束,同时对价格竞争力也是一个挑战,这样会逼着产业进行调整,使出口产品在发挥比较优势的基础上更上一次楼,在更高层次上具备竞争力。这里的价格上升与货币升值带来的价格上升是完全不同的,这里价格上升的好处是给本国社会和自己的员工。至于增收出口税,作为当机立断的应对措施,是比较有操作性的。但是从更实质的行业改造和发展的角度,还是要完善企业制度建设。另外,政府对纺织品增收的税收应该也转移支付给纺织行业工人的社会保障体系的建设。
  张燕生:我认识一些纺织业的企业家,毕业于国际名牌学校,但是回到了国内,企业的社会责任就通通都忘了。让企业自己来做这些事情还是比较难。
  左小蕾:要企业主动把成本提起来,完善企业规范的体制,当然很困难,对企业来说能多赚一点就是一点。这就是政府的职能了。从法制建设的角度,政府在这方面有责任推动企业按照劳动法完善企业的制度建设。从减少贸易摩擦的角度也应该有帮助。现在越来越多的外贸订单要求产品的环保标准,劳工的工作环境标准,安全标准等等,我们不主动调整,被人提出来被外国人逼着去做,又会使我们处于非常被动的地位。所以不论为了短期应对“特保”条款,还是为了中国长期的出口行业乃至整体经济的发展,完善企业的社会保障体制和制度是非常必要的,应该马上着手推进。政府以关税的形式增加了政府的收入,但并没有说清楚这项税收会用来扶持整个出口产业的发展,政策还是没有发挥产业调整的导向作用。我也不赞成简单地把税退给企业,应该把税收用在纺织行业的工人的身上。
  政府的政策要帮助企业做规范,减少企业面临的贸易摩擦,实际上也是帮助它在国际市场上,在更高层次上竞争发展。这些事情不容易做,但政府一定要知难而进。
  不能光从收益上来看,企业制度的完善和企业家整个水平的提升以及结构的调整,对稍具眼光的企业家来说应该更重要。做不到这一点的企业就应该被淘汰,应从根本上建立现代企业制度。
  赵晋平:还有一个如何量化的问题。现在纺织品业低价竞销状况严重,一定程度上扰乱了市场,有人考虑能不能在海关上严格起来,如进行审价,但这个操作还是做不到。纺织业产品品种太多,和机械行业不一样,后者相对来说品种比较少,有一个比较客观的标准。
  从操作层面上有两种办法,出口税虽然是通过政府增收的方式进入国库,但是完全可以纳入社会保障制度或者是成为保障基金,以解决企业改革方面的一些问题。其二,用这部分税收建立纺织服装行业的发展基金,重点支持纺织品服装企业的长远发展。
  
  见习记者杨卓、实习记者戴志勇、马娟、田野、刘艳艳参与整理,独家网络支持单位:搜狐网。21世纪圆桌论坛网上链接:http://business.sohu.com/7/0703/15/column221001584.shtml
  
  




  行业协会在全力配合政府部门做工作,如搜集情报与数据、制定应对预案、多面交涉与游说、媒体宣传报道、司法准备与反制措施等,显得力度远远不够。
  张燕生 国家发改委对外经济研究所所长
  



  美国完全是出于一种国内利益的需要,是为了达到贸易保护目的的需要,从根本上看,是违背自由贸易精神的。
  赵晋平 国务院发展研究中心外资部副部长
  



  保持与国际社会,特别是贸易伙伴之间的对话和交流,使互相之间明白自己的利益所在,发挥各方的比较优势,促进国际贸易各方的利益最大化。
  左小蕾 银河证券首席经济学家
  



  在欧洲对华贸易中,空中客车制造部门受益,欧洲纺织品服装行业受损。要消除摩擦,通过“调整援助”等机制用受益方的一部分收益帮助受冲击方转业,可能是一个办法。
  梅新育 商务部研究院研究员
  



  我认为,不能让纺织品问题政治化,否则,就会造成发达国家与发展中国家一起对中国发难。
  单忠东 大光华管理学院中国经济与WTO研究所所长
  本版照片 杨卓 摄

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纺织品特保争端:中国应向世贸组织申诉

21世纪经济报道  2005-05-30 14:37:38




  社评   
  
  如果将此特保争端诉诸世贸组织的多边框架下,那么则存在一定的胜诉几率,而且这一举动本身将有助于改善我们在双边框架下的谈判地位。
    
  中国与美国、欧盟的纺织品特保争端引起了各界的广泛关注。然而,在这场对方声称依据《中国加入世贸组织工作组报告书》第242条款挑起的争端中,我国迄今只是通过双边渠道与对方开展交涉,也没有作出是否向世贸组织申诉的表示。但其实,世贸组织有关规则相对合理、可预期一些,美欧国内法则比较不公平、随意性较强,而且在双边框架下交涉,我们很难遏制对方依据其国内法行事。
  根据世贸组织的有关规则,美欧这次挑起纺织品特保争端,无论是在程序方面,还是在进口对国内产业损害或损害威胁的认定方面,都存在明显的瑕疵,美国的做法违规之处尤其多。
  以程序而论,《中国加入世贸组织工作组报告书》第242条款规定,如果某一世贸组织成员认为中国纺织品造成了市场扰乱或者存在市场扰乱的威胁,应当向中国请求磋商,并提供关于磋商请求的原因和理由的详细说明,并附其认为能够证明下列内容的现行数据:市场扰乱的存在或威胁;以及在该市场扰乱中原产于中国产品的作用(a款)。磋商将在收到磋商请求后30天内进行,双方将在收到请求后90天内尽力达成双方满意的协议,除非双方同意延长该期限(b款)。在90天磋商期内未能达成双方满意的解决办法,磋商继续进行,提出磋商请求的成员可继续根据c款对磋商涉及的一个或多个类别的纺织品或纺织制成品实行限制(d款)。
  但在这场贸易争端中,美国商务部于4月4日宣布对中国生产的棉制衬衫及上衣、棉制长裤、棉制和人造纤维内衣3大类出口纺织品发起为期90天的调查。到5月13日,距宣布开始90天调查不过30多天,调查结果还没有出来,美国就决定实施特别保障措施,这违背了242条款规定的程序。
  就进口对国内产业损害或损害威胁的认定而言,世贸组织《保障措施协定》第四条“严重损害或严重损害威胁的确定”规定,主管机关应评估影响该产业状况的所有有关的客观和可量化的因素,特别是有关产品按绝对值和相对值计算的进口增加的比率和数量,增加的进口所占国内市场的份额,以及销售水平、产量、生产率、设备利用率、利润和亏损及就业的变化。但美欧都未能提出有说服力的上述全部数据。
  有鉴于此,中国如果将此事诉诸世贸组织的多边框架下,那么则存在一定的胜诉几率,而且这一举动本身将有助于改善我们在双边框架下的谈判地位。否则,只会让自己陷入极度的被动之中。
  当然,世贸组织的争端解决机制虽然相对公正,但过程旷日持久;而按照《中国加入世贸组织工作组报告书》的相关条款,对中国纺织品采取的特保措施不得超过1年。如果诉诸世贸组织争端解决机制,可能世贸组织调查程序尚未全部完成,美欧的特保措施已经期满,对方完全实现了他们的目的,而中国一无所得,还不如寻求双边解决方案。但问题是美国发动此次争端所依据的《1974年贸易法》421条款远远超过了《中国加入世贸组织工作组报告书》242条款,规定“在没有再次申诉的情况下,该数量限制的期限不应超过1年”,这意味着美国可以反复申诉,反复采取特保措施。在这种情况下,世贸组织旷日持久的争端解决机制就有其实际意义了。
  不仅如此,即使在双边框架下,中国要赢得较好的结果也需要充分发动进口国国内反贸易保护主义的力量(包括成品进口商和原料出口商等)的作用,而他们需要一定时间才能组织起来发挥作用。目前美国纺织品和服装进口商、棉花出口商及其协会组织已经对美国的特保措施表示了强烈的异议;在欧盟,欧盟贸易机构已经提出了对中国T恤衫和亚麻纱启动紧急特保程序的建议,但中国每年从欧盟进口2亿美元亚麻纤维,每年出口到欧盟的亚麻纱只有1700万美元,因此欧盟纺织原料出口商和服装进口商也能够成为我们反贸易保护主义可争取的力量。如果通过向世贸组织上诉的方式迫使美欧在采取实际限制行动之前经过足够的调查和磋商期,一方面可以让我们自主限制出口措施的效果显示出来,有助于在损害认定中赢得主动;另一方面一些反贸易保护主义的力量可以利用这段时间在其国内开展政治游说。

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?????????????? ???????-??????美国对中国纺织品启动设限程序 调查三类纺织品


NEWS.SOHU.COM   2005年04月05日09:39  中国新闻网


  中新社华盛顿四月四日电 (记者余东晖)美国纺织品协定执行委员会(CITA)四日宣布,启动针对三类中国纺织品进口的保障程序,以决定中国相关纺织品是否冲击了美国市场,以及是否与中国展开谈判。

  这是美国在全球纺织品配额取消后试图限制中国纺织品进口的先声。领导CITA的美国新任商务部长古铁雷斯说,这是决定美国相关产品市场是否受到冲击以及中国产品从中产生什么作用的第一步。

  受到调查的三类纺织品是:棉织衬衫和上衣、棉制长裤、纯棉和人造纤维内衣裤。美方称,自从世贸组织今年一月一日起取消纺织品配额后,初步统计,第一季度美国市场来自中国的这三类纺织品比去年同期增加了大约十二点五倍、十五倍和三倍。

  尽管美国一些纺织品生产组织要求政府对中国纺织品设限,但美国的进口商却反对这么做。他们称纺织品厂商的要求是“歇斯底里”,认为更加自由的贸易将让各国都受益。

  根据这个保障程序,从今天起三十天内为征询公众意见期,有关利益方和股东可以提交针对某类产品的意见。在征求意见期结束后六十天内,CITA将就中国相关纺织品是否冲击美国相关市场作出决定,如果判断破坏存在,美方将向中方提出磋商要求。磋商将在要求提出后三十天内举行,并争取在九十天内达成双方均可接受的解决方案。其间,中国相关纺织品进口美国将受到配额限制。

  CITA是由美国商务部、劳工部、财政部、贸易代表办公室组成的机构,负责处理美国纺织品贸易政策和监督纺织品协议的实施。


http://news.sohu.com/20050405/n225023521.shtml


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“特保”下一个轮到中国鞋业?


NEWS.SOHU.COM   2005年06月01日01:34  华夏时报供稿


  本报讯 昨天,记者了解到,欧盟可能在6月份对中国鞋采取“特保”。温州市鞋革协会与泉州市鞋业商会近日相继收到中国皮革协会的《关于欧盟拟对我国鞋类产品设限情况的紧急通知》。通知称,欧盟可能要在6月份左右对中国鞋采取贸易限制措施,限制措施不会是原先盛传的反倾销,而是与纺织品一样的“特保”。目前,意大利、西班牙、葡萄牙、波兰和法国等均支持对中国鞋采取“特保”。

  今年2月1日,欧盟已经对中国鞋实施“事先进口许可监控”措施。欧盟对中国鞋要采取“特保”的依据与纺织品差不多,均是首季度出口到欧盟的数据。来自中国海关的统计数据表明,一季度,我国对欧盟出口鞋类产品7.3亿美元,同比增长了30.6%。

  上海对外贸易学院教授徐海宁表示,欧美对中国纺织品采取“特保”,主要是纺织品配额取消后,欧美进口中国纺织品速度加快,致使损害欧美国家纺织业的利益。事实上,按照市场规律,在配额取消后,对原有配额产品的进口均会迅速增长。

  今年1月1日起,与纺织品一样,欧盟对大部分中国鞋取消了配额。徐海宁认为,从目前形势看,中国鞋很有可能成为继纺织品后又一面临“特保”的中国产品。事实上,对中国产品仍有配额的国家,一旦取消配额后发现进口过多中国产品会影响国内产业,也很可能会采取“特保”这一贸易限制措施。

  目前,全球对中国产品仍有配额限制的国家已不多。根据我国加入世贸议定书,目前世贸组织成员中对中国仍有配额限制的产品除了鞋以外,还有瓷餐具、厨房器具等,限制地主要是土耳其及欧盟等。

  徐海宁担心,如果欧盟与美国对中国纺织品“特保”类别进一步扩大,“特保”很有可能会蔓延到其他国家,如土耳其、墨西哥、巴西等。

  据了解,近日巴西决定将对中国产品采取世贸组织允许的特保措施,包括纺织、服装、鞋、玩具和部分电子电器产品。不过,巴西的特保措施将不会自动实行,而是需要行业协会向工商部贸易保护处提出请求,以及提交受中国产品损害的证据等。

  (郑俊杰)

  

转自搜狐
搜狗(www.sogou.com)搜索:“中国产品”,共找到 67,110,863 个相关网页.


http://news.sohu.com/20050601/n225776080.shtml

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欧盟又要拿中国自行车“开刀”


NEWS.SOHU.COM   2005年06月01日01:33  华夏时报供稿


  相关新闻:“特保”下一个轮到中国鞋业?

  本报讯 欧盟自行车制造企业协会成员、法国国家自行车制造企业委员会主席戈兹曼日前向法新社记者透露,欧盟反倾销委员会建议,把向中国自行车征收的反倾销税从目前的30.6%增加到45%。

  他希望欧盟理事会在今后3周内批准反倾销委员会提出的这项建议,以便从7月份开始征收新的反倾销税。

  欧盟的自行车企业在欧洲拥有相当的实力,但是越来越受到亚洲产品的竞争。在这些企业的压力下,欧盟委员会从1993年开始对中国出产的自行车征收30.6%的反倾销税。

  然而,欧盟自行车制造企业担心反倾销税不足以阻止中国自行车进入欧洲市场的势头。戈兹曼先生解释说,如果不征收反倾销税,中国的自行车可在欧洲市场以50欧元的价格出售,而法国出产的最便宜的自行车也要150欧元。

  欧盟自行车制造企业还注意到,从越南、印尼和马来西亚进口的低价自行车数量也不断上升。

  欧洲自行车工业拥有世界上最好的高级零件,比如法国的LOOKDENEVERS牌自动踏板和碳丝架仍在欧洲占据领先地位。法国生产的自行车占据欧洲50%的市场。


EU's Mandelson confident on China textile talks - Forbes.com

EU's Mandelson confident on China textile talks - Forbes.com
AFX News Limited
EU's Mandelson confident on China textile talks
05.31.2005, 09:18 AM

GENEVA (AFX) - EU trade chief Peter Mandelson said today that he was confident about talks with Beijing, amid efforts to halt an escalating trade war over surging Chinese textile imports.

'I am happy with the state of talks between the EU and China,' Mandelson told reporters after a visit to the World Trade Organisation.

He did not give details of the discussions.

On May 27, the EU requested formal WTO talks with China on the issue, citing figures showing a big jump in Chinese imports of T-shirts and flax yarn into the EU following the end of a global textile quota system on Jan 1.

The EU request followed a similar move by the US.

Under the rules on China's accession to the WTO more than three years ago, a request for talks enables Beijing's trading partners to place a temporary cap on textile imports, if China does not first take its own voluntary measures within 15 days.

The EU and US moves have met with anger from China, which accuses Washington and Brussels of ill-disguised protectionism.

China has complained that the EU and US knew that a four-decade-old textile quota system would end this year, under a 1995 agreement, and should have been prepared.

The Asian economic giant has charged that the EU lacked evidence to justify its complaint about Chinese imports -- a claim Brussels has rejected.

In an about-turn from a more conciliatory position, China said Monday it was scrapping export tariffs on a range of textile goods from June 1 and would also revoke a decision on May 20 to raise export taxes on 74 textile and clothing products.

'This makes it all the more desirable to reach agreement with the Chinese about what course of action should be taken,' Mandelson said.

Asked if Brussels would move against more Chinese textiles if talks stalled, Mandelson declined to elaborate.

'A range of categories are under investigation by the EU,' he said. 'All these are in the frame.'

The US has so far gone further than the EU, slapping import quotas on seven categories of Chinese textile goods.

The dispute with Washington has also been fuelled by US concerns that China's currency is undervalued, giving it an unfair advantage on the global market.

Two weeks ago, the US gave China a six-month deadline to revalue or be accused of currency manipulation.

'We're taking somewhat different approaches but there is a danger that we will be caught up in the same Chinese response,' Mandelson said.

Trade experts say that Beijing and Western governments have no option but to find common ground and defuse their dispute, because of the huge importance of the Chinese market to the global economy.

jwf/bar/hd/cw



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捍卫贸易自由 中国政府渐露强硬姿态

凌翔

2005年05月31日08:05 【字号 大 中 小】【留言】【论坛】【打印】【关闭】


  5月20日,中国宣布自6月1日起大幅调高74种纺织品出口关税,就在新税率即将实施之际,中国突然又于5月30日宣布对81种纺织品取消征收出口关税。两项政策出台时隔仅10天,但是无论从政策的具体内容,还是从政策背后中国政府渐渐显露的强硬姿态,都已表现出180度的大转变。

  对于纺织品贸易问题,正如中国政府此前所表明,其对维护国际纺织品贸易平稳发展一直抱着诚意和负责任的态度。正是出于这种诚意和负责任的态度,中国自今年1月1日起就对148种纺织品征收出口关税,并于5月20日再次宣布大幅调高纺织品出口关税。

  但是,中国的诚意和负责任的态度并没有得到欧美的积极回应,美国和欧盟仍然坚持一意孤行地对中国纺织品采取设限措施。5月24日,中国商务部副部长高虎城前往比利时布鲁塞尔,与欧盟贸易委员曼德尔森就欧盟对中国纺织品设限展开谈判未果。在通过合理途径无法解决贸易摩擦的情况下,毅然决定取消部分纺织品出口关税,可以说是中国政府对中国纺织企业和国际公平贸易环境的负责任之举。

  中国提倡发展国际贸易“以和为贵”,但这必须以公平的国际贸易环境为前提,而在当下欧美贸易保护主义势力不断得寸进尺之时,中国倘若不“该出手时就出手”,将纺织品贸易谈判拉回到公正、合理的轨道上去,只会让自己在未来陷入更大的被动。

  今年4月,美国参议院以67对33票的表决结果同意将两位参议员提交的一份议案列入议事日程,该议案要求中国在180天内让人民币汇率自由浮动,否则美国将对进口自中国的产品加征27.5%的关税,对这一议案的表决将于7月27日举行。

  显然,中国取消部分纺织品出口关税的决定,不仅将沉重打击欧美贸易保护主义势力,而且也令他们迫使人民币升值的目标变得更天方夜谭,因为这一决定进一步表明,中国政府决不会在人民币汇率问题上屈服于外界的压力。

  本周,中国与欧盟的纺织品谈判仍将继续,同时,美国商务部长古铁雷斯也将访问中国。尽管中国与欧盟和美国的谈判仍将十分“艰难”,但是中国政府的强硬姿态无疑将为自己赢得更大的谈判空间。

  《国际金融报》 (2005年05月31日 第一版)

Commerce Minister Bo Xilai Attending Press Conference Hosted by the State Council Information Office

Commerce Minister Bo Xilai Attending Press Conference Hosted by the State Council Information Office
Commerce Minister Bo Xilai Attending Press Conference Hosted by the State Council Information Office

Wednesday,June 01,2005 Posted: 07:05 BJT(2305 GMT)
【Chinese】 【Picture】 【Video】


Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai appeared at a press conference hosted by the State Council Information Office at 3:00 p.m. on May 30, 2005 to give updates on the textile issue and take reporters' questions.





(2005-05-30 14:56:07)
(Host: Guo Weimin): Ladies and Gentlemen, good afternoon! The issue of China-US and China-EU textile trade has recently attracted much media attention from both home and abroad. Today we are honored with the presence of Mr. Bo Xilai, Chinese Commerce Minister, who will be briefing you on issues relating to textile trade and taking your questions.

This is the very first appearance of Minister Bo at a press conference hosted by the State Council Information Office after taking office. For quite some time, both domestic and foreign media have suggested that we invite Minister Bo over to our office for a meeting. I believe today has been long awaited.

At this press conference, we also have with us Assistant Commerce Minister Yi Xiaozhun, Assistant Commerce Minister Fu Ziying and Mr. Lu Jianhua, Director General of the Department of Foreign Trade Administration, Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).

Now I switch the mike to Minister Bo.
(2005-05-30 15:00:00)

(2005-05-30 15:01:43)
(Bo Xilai): Dear friends from the press, good afternoon. I feel delighted to have this opportunity to share my views with you. As time is limited today, I will make sure we make the most of it. From the perspective of the Chinese government, we have a lot to say on textile trade and a lot of issues on which we hope for full exchange of views with mainstream media from all countries. Recently, China's textile industry and chamber of commerce for the import and export of textiles have been following these issues with high concern, which are also widely discussed outside China. We've already had some discussions with the US and the EU as well as other countries on the textile trade issue. Now I would like to answer your questions of mutual concern regarding this issue.

Now the floor is open to questions.
(2005-05-30 15:03:41)

(2005-05-30 15:10:41)
(Bloomberg News reporter):
Mr. Minister, thank you very much for giving us this opportunity to meet with you. We've all been waiting a very long time. First of all, I'd like to ask you, how do you respond to arguments from the US and Europe that the safeguard measures they're planning to impose on textiles are rights that are guaranteed to all WTO members. Are you going to slow any of your WTO market opening in response to the import caps that the US and Europe are threatening to implement? The US government charges that the Yuan's value is artificially low, unfairly making Chinese exports too cheap. Wouldn't a revaluation or a right trading band for the Yuan help not only resolve the textile dispute but also head off other trade disputes? Thank you.





(2005-05-30 15:13:29)
(Bo Xilai): Let me take your first question about China's view on the EU and US adoption of safeguards to restrict China's textile exports. The clause on which their actions are based is the well-known Paragraph 242 written in the Protocol on China's Accession to the WTO. We believe the EU and US using Paragraph 242 against Chinese textiles is groundless and incorrect. We believe any recourse to this Paragraph should be conditioned upon evidence demonstrating the existence of market disruption in the US and the EU as a result of textile imports from China which threatens to impede the orderly development of trade in such products. In other words, there should be a causal link between these two. In addition, compelling evidence must be presented for safeguard actions taken. And if formal consultations are to be requested with China, a detailed factual statement justifying the actions must be presented to China. To put it in another way, there are a few preconditions for using Paragraph 242.

(2005-05-30 15:15:47)
(Bo Xilai): First, export growth must be demonstrated, but this is not the sole precondition. Based on this, the existence of market disruption must also be proved. But still it is not enough. It has to be demonstrated that the disruption is threatening to impede the orderly development of trade and there's a causal link between China's export growth and the disruption in the EU and US markets. Apart from that, detailed evidentiary materials must be furnished to China. It's fair to say that many elements are missing in the EU and US cases and their evidence was hardly convincing.

(2005-05-30 15:17:36)
As far as the term "market disruption" is concerned, at least three factors must be considered. First, whether there has been rapid growth within a short period? Second, if there has been rapid growth of Chinese textiles exports, have there been notable impacts on prices in the US and EU markets? Third, under these circumstances, has the domestic industry of the importing country been materially injured? In my opinion, neither did the EU nor the US provide China with exhaustive data. They also differ vastly with China both in comprehending these issues and analyzing the specifics and facts. Notwithstanding differences in understandings and views, we should exchange views seriously. However, it is by no means reasonable and scientific that the US and the EU have rashly imposed safeguards on Chinese textiles merely based on preliminary data over a three to fourth-month period.





(2005-05-30 15:18:01)
(Bo Xilai): Take the changes in prices as an example. Arguments in this respect are rife both in Europe and the US. The EU recently imposed safeguards on two Chinese textile products. One is T-shirts on which we have figures showing they were priced at 97 euros per dozen in January 2005 and 101 euros per dozen in March 2005, that is, the market prices for T-shirts have increased rather than decreased and the existence of market disruption is not demonstrable. Plus, those figures were provided by the EU. On the other product, lax yarn, according to EU statistics, its imports of lax yarn grew by 3% in March 2005. Therefore, it is unable to prove that such imports within the given period witnessed a price drop or have affected the local market. The EU and the US imposed safeguards on Chinese textiles mainly on the grounds of a surge in Chinese textile exports, which has been described with so many adjectives and compared to, for example, the eruption of a volcano and a tsunami. However, I believe there's been a lot of exaggeration.

(2005-05-30 15:20:01)
(Bo Xilai): We can tell all of you in a responsible manner what China's textile exports have experienced after the textile trade integration on January 1, 2005. Generally speaking, between January and April 2005, China exported altogether 31.2 billion USD worth of textiles, a year-on-year increase of 18.4%. The growth rate was five percentage points lower than that of the same period last year. As you know, Chinese textile exports grew by just over 18% during this period, far slower than the 35% growth rate of China's overall export for the same period.



(Bo Xilai): We are aware, for the same period, Chinese textile exports to the US grew by 70% and by 45% to the EU. However, from the end of 2004 till the beginning of 2005, the Chinese government had been pondering proactively and taking many measures, hoping to enable steady export growth to the US and Europe. It is precisely for that reason that we gladly noted two drops despite the general growth of Chinese exports to the EU and the US between January and April 2005. One is the drop of growth rate month by month. The other is the drop, month by month, of the proportion of textile in overall China-EU and China-US trade.

(2005-05-30 15:22:38)
(Bo Xilai): In addition, I'd like to share with you the third fact we've determined, that is, the growth of Chinese textile exports to Europe and the US, which were formerly subject to quotas, was indeed large, representing 250% to the US and 82% to the EU. However, we believe such growth was normal. Why? Because it occurred during the transition of the textile trade from the previously free trade distorting quota regime to an integrated and liberalized system. It is a completely different scenario from an abrupt surge in a given product during a given period in a given year under normal trade conditions. The former is foreseeable and has already been foretold by economic figures years before. Therefore, it was not an unprepared attack on any country, but rather a normal transition. The same growth pattern was also recorded in the past when the quotas on certain products were eliminated. Facing such a situation, before we take a decision, we have to discuss over many factors in accordance with Paragraph 242. It is not justified that within such a short period of time, without providing China with sufficient data, formal consultations are being requested to China and procedures for imposing safeguards are being entered into.





(2005-05-30 15:25:17)
About the second question on whether China will voluntarily lower its market access threshold and reduce its exports to cope with the situation, I want to tell you that China is justifiably entitled to its right from the textile trade integration. It took China 15 years to negotiate its way into the WTO. In this process, we on the Chinese side have conducted consultations back and forth with some WTO members. China's accession to the WTO was a result of balanced rights and obligations. Textile is a rightful claim of China. It is a take in return for our gives in other areas of market opening and is thus balanced. Chinese companies are therefore entitled to the benefits of the integration.

(2005-05-30 15:29:17)
What about the possible surge of textiles exports in the US and Europe after the textile trade integration? If pursuant to the WTO Agreement on Textile and Clothing (ATC) reached at the Uruguay Round 10 years ago, the developed countries had faithfully and concretely fulfilled their commitments of phasing out quotas in the run-up to the integration, such a possibility would have been averted. However, to our regret, instead of doing so, developed countries retained their quotas till the last minute in the most sensitive and most concerned textile categories in which developing countries enjoyed the greatest export potential. The US kept 90% of such quotas and the EU 70%, till the last moment. As a result, when the transition took place on January 1, 2005, the perception of the outside world was that Chinese textiles suddenly surged. If we have to get to the bottom of all this, the EU and the US should understand, in this long run-up period, they were incompetent and failed to perform their obligations.

(2005-05-30 15:31:59)
Despite so, as well as its many difficulties and deep awareness of its entitlement to the benefits of textile trade integration, China, as a large responsible nation, acting upon a sense of responsibility to the smooth transition in the European and US markets, has taken some important decisions at the beginning of this year to voluntarily moderate its textiles exports within a lower growth rate. We have taken ten important measures, among others, lowering the export tax rebate rate, exercising automatic export licensing for textiles, and imposing export duties on certain textile products. It is precisely thanks to the implementation of these ten important measures that a relatively balanced state is being maintained in the US and European markets.





The Chinese government attaches great importance to the China-EU and China-US relationships. We hope to continuously foster our friendship and cooperation with the US and EU economic circles on the basis of equality and friendship. To that end, we've taken some special and voluntary policy measures beyond our WTO commitments. I think all fair-minded people should recognize this as a manifestation of the Chinese government's sense of responsibility. We also wish to properly address issues in China-EU and China-US textile trade through serious consultations.

As for your question on RMB, I suggest you direct your question to Mr. Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the People's Bank of China next time you see him.
(2005-05-30 15:34:11)

(2005-05-30 15:35:23)
[CCTV News Channel]
What will the Ministry of Commerce do to protect the interests of Chinese textile industry in future negotiations, as the US has already imposed restrictions on its imports of Chinese textiles? Thank you.
(2005-05-30 15:35:23)



(2005-05-30 15:36:20)
(Bo Xilai):
Textile industry is a very important industry of China. It is a labor-intensive industry with an overall direct employment of 19 million people, and this number could be even bigger if textile-related industries are factored in. That's why the Chinese government attaches great importance to the textile issue. I read some data showing that behind each textile category subject to the EU and the US restrictions, there are at least one thousand enterprises involved, or even six thousand at the most. Therefore, the textile industry is very important to China, and the government shows great concern over the issue. Among the 19 million people in this industry, as I have just mentioned, a large proportion of them belong to low-income population. Hence the textile issue has a bearing on tens of thousands of families and the employment of a great number of workers, where the Chinese government has a great concern.
(2005-05-30 15:36:20)

(2005-05-30 15:39:01) Bo Xilai:
Recently, Chinese President Hu and Premier Wen both expressed great concern over this issue. Premier Wen has asked about this issue for many times in person, hoping that the enterprises could get over it in a smooth way, and that the production and workers' life could remain stable under the impact of the restrictions. Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Commerce is formulating counter measures, and is having negotiations and consultations with the US and the EU over this issue. However, there is one thing for sure, we will accept neither the overall arrangement proposed by the US at the beginning of the textile integration, nor the Guidelines by the EU, because these are invented on their own after the textile trade integration, rather than a result of joint discussion. Actually, this means the legal rights of China after the integration would be revoked. Therefore we do not agree with the above-mentioned proposals.





(2005-05-30 15:41:36)
Bo Xilai:
Not long ago, Vice Premier Wu Yi convened a working meeting specifically on textile issues, attended by relevant industry representatives. The intention was to listen attentively to the views and voices from the industry. Up till now, the China Textile Association and the Chamber of Commerce for the Import and Export of Textiles (CCCT) have thoroughly expressed the views of the industry to the Chinese government. Before the meeting, the Ministry of Commerce also had discussions with representatives from the business community. In fact, not only domestic enterprises, but also many foreign invested enterprises are currently involved in Chinese textile exports. After 20 odd years of reform and opening, the economic pattern of China has changed into an inter-woven and inter-dependent one, which means the interests of Chinese and foreign enterprises cannot be separated. Therefore, we will base ourselves on eloquent evidence, call for justice, and try every possible means to protect the legitimate rights of Chinese enterprises derived from China's WTO accession. The textile integration is one of those important rights, on which the Chinese government puts much weight. The Ministry of Commerce will focus its negotiations on this issue. Thank you.





(2005-05-30 15:43:09)
[La Stampa]
In Italy, it is those small and medium sized enterprises that have been mainly affected, and the SMEs do not have the resources to establish joint ventures in China. But they bear most of the impacts by Chinese textile exports. As the Minister of Commerce, do you have any good suggestions for them to overcome the difficulties?

(2005-05-30 15:48:19) Bo Xilai:
I've heard Italy is one of the three countries that are the most supportive of restrictions on Chinese textiles. I am afraid our Italian friends didn't make a smart calculation. The past years have witnessed significant progress in trade and economic relations between Italy and China. That means the relation between the two countries is based on mutual benefits, and Italy businesses are making profits in China. We did export lots of textiles to Italy, but these products are of low added value. Meanwhile, we imported a lot of textile machinery and fabrics form Italy, as this is what Italy is famous for. It's fair to say the value of the Italian textile machinery is much higher than Chinese exports of apparel.

(2005-05-30 15:50:11)
Bo Xilai:
I suggest our Italian friends remake a calculation as for to which country you will be able to export your excellent textile machinery and fabrics in the future. China is probably your biggest market. Moreover, it is utterly unnecessary for Italian textile industry to exaggerate Chinese textile exports to Italy, as the trade in textiles only takes up one-fifth of our total trade volume. Plus China and Italy have great prospects of cooperation in many other areas. On the other hand, Italy has already completed its restructuring of textile industry. Some of your textile products lack competitiveness. Even if you don't import such products form China, you will turn to other countries for them. This will not really solve Italy's problem.

(2005-05-30 15:50:31)
Bo Xilai:
I believe we should broaden our horizon and make the business cake even bigger. Your question reminds me of an Italian figure named Marco Polo, who lived hundreds of years before us, but was so far-sighted that he came to China and did business with Chinese people. If he were still alive, and knew that Italy would impose restrictions on Chinese textiles which are of good quality and competitive prices, he would be very surprised or disappointed.





(2005-05-30 15:51:14)
[Xinhua News Agency]
I remember Minister Bo mentioned that the EU and the US had adopted double standards on free trade at the Fortune Global Forum. Would you please elaborate on that? Thanks.

(2005-05-30 15:56:26)
Bo Xilai:
By double standards, I mean that developed countries like EU members and the US warmly advocate free trade in areas where they are competitive and they ask other countries to open markets. However, in product areas which developing countries could challenge them, they will immediately resort to trade protectionism and close their own markets to those products. I believe this is double standards. In fact, Europe and the US have been advocating free trade for a long time. It was Europe who invented free trade some 200 years ago in the mid 18th century. But in the past, developed countries such as the US and European countries had absolute dominance in most industries, where developing countries were not well-equipped to compete with them. As a developing country, China has come a long way in forming this relatively competitive industry, that is, textiles and apparel.

(2005-05-30 15:59:50) Bo Xilai:
If there had been a unified standard and genuine free trade, I believe developed countries would have tolerated developing countries to demonstrate their capability and to unleash their productivity in the textiles and apparel sector, which was non-injurious to the markets in developed countries. However, regrettably over the past few months, the EU and the US didn't wait a second to exclude from their markets textile and apparel products, which are labor intensive and of low added value, exported by developing countries represented by China. That's why I said double standards. I also feel regretted for those economists in favor of such double standards, because on one hand free trade has been advocated for one or two hundred years, and has been given a very beautiful face. But on the other hand, once some developing countries possess the power to challenge developed countries in certain industries, or even a not-so-much-important industry to them, they couldn't take it. Instead they make up a lot of excuses to contain and restrict these developing countries, even to the degree of quantitative restrictions.
(2005-05-30 15:59:50)





(2005-05-30 16:00:07)
Bo Xilai:
Of course, we are now in the process of negotiating with the EU and the US. In the legal perspective, both have made lots of arguments and rationales to support their arguments. There are many argumentative points over the textile issue. So much so, to impose quantitative restrictions on Chinese textiles, under the universally regonzied WTO principle of free trade, is a shame, and is of the nature of trade protectionism. Therefore, we have to speak fairly for the Chinese industry and for other developing countries.
(2005-05-30 16:00:07)

Bo Xilai:
To make an analogy, on the land of global trade, textile is a very barren piece of land where developing countries crowdedly inhabit and cultivate. As there are so many of them, the per capita area is very small. By contrast, developed countries are dominating the high and middle-end market, the trade of which could be compared to a very fertile and boundless land. They have a tight grip of trade areas where they enjoy an advantageous position. They further limit others from stepping onto this land. Anyhow, developing countries have to find something to do. So we began to develop our textile and apparel industry. But what happened was that, only 4 months into the textile trade integration on January 1, 2005, developed countries began to impose restrictions on us. Therefore, I believe there are double standards. In free trade, all parties should compete on a level playing field. Once we reach an agreement, it should be honored. If someone do not implement the agreement, or leave some traps in the agreement, I believe that constitutes double standards. Thank you.
(2005-05-30 16:03:34)

(2005-05-30 16:03:43)
Spanish TV reporter:
Minister Bo Xilai, today we just received the latest information from the Ministry of Finance that the Chinese government decided to cancel the export duties on 81 Chinese textile products. What is the reason for the Chinese government to do so and what could be the possible consequences? Just now you mentioned that China would continue its great efforts in curbing its rapid export growth. What further efforts you plan to make after the cancellation of the export duties?
(2005-05-30 16:03:43)





(2005-05-30 16:05:51)
Bo:
The Chinese government decided to levy duties on textile exports on two occasions. The first decision was made on January 1, 2005 in 148 8-digit tariff lines. The second time was on May 20 of this year when the Tariff Committee of the State Council decided to impose export duties on another 74 10-digit tariff lines. Both are voluntary measures taken by the Chinese side with an aim to stabilize China's exports and encourage Chinese enterprises to transform their mode of export growth. The difference between them is that for the second imposition, we had collected some data of the actual growth of Chinese textile exports to the European and US markets in the first quarter of this year, and had made a scientific and systematic analysis. On that basis, we thought it was necessary to levy export duties on some specific products that were demonstrating rapid export growth so as to rein in their growth. Therefore, the second measure was more selective and targeted, whereas the first measure was more general. It is our view that following the implementation of the export duties, we will effectively control the growth of exports to the EU and the US. For products which are showing a fast export growth rate, we impose a much higher export duty on them at the second time than at the first time.
(2005-05-30 16:05:51)

(2005-05-30 16:08:55) Bo
From that you can see how responsible the Chinese government is for the global trade. However, before we introduced the policies, we set forth some preconditions, that is, in the future, if any country imposes restrictions, particularly quantitative ones, on Chinese textiles, we will exclude those restricted textile products from the catalogue of textile products on which export duties are levied. Therefore, there is no doubt that we will not tolerate Chinese textiles being put under double pressure.
(2005-05-30 16:08:55)

(2005-05-30 16:11:27)
Bo
I have repeatedly suggested the EU and the US representatives think more heavily of this policy, which is a hard-won and effective policy. But regrettably, the EU and the US did not take my point. The US first imposed safeguards on three, then four, categories of Chinese textiles, followed the EU in two Chinese textile products. In fact since you have already decided to impose quantitative restrictions on Chinese textiles, how will it be possible for the Chinese government to further levy export duties on those products? The Chinese government must treat Chinese enterprises fairly and justly when we ask them to think in a wider context. In other words, if the EU and the US do not give due weight to the Chinese measure of imposing export duties and still go ahead with restrictive measures, we will make corresponding policy adjustments. If you put half a kilogram of pressure on our enterprises, we will take away 500 grams of burden from them.
(2005-05-30 16:11:27)





(2005-05-30 16:13:35) Bo
I'd like to make an addition. On May 20, the Tariff Committee announced to impose export duties over some other textile products. According to some foreign media, it is a policy that the Chinese government had to adopt facing in the face of mounting pressure from the EU and the US invoking Paragraph 242. I believe this is a total misperception, because the Chinese government started to study how to implement the policy of export duties more effectively as early as several months ago. Any effective policy will need one or two, or two or three months to be carefully conceived. China is a country of principle and fears no pressure. Therefore even when the US started to impose restrictive measures over Chinese textile products, we still rejected the Overall Arrangement proposed by the US. At this moment, the Chinese side is still willing and ready to have consultations with the EU and the US in a bid to properly address our trade frictions over textile products.
(2005-05-30 16:13:35)

(2005-05-30 16:16:16)
CCTV Economic Channel
Minister, you have briefed the international background backing the Chinese government's decision to abolish export duties over 81 Chinese textile items as of June 1 this year. Would you please share with us some figures as to the impact on the domestic industry? My second question is, on June 2, US Commerce Secretary will be visiting China and having talks with the Chinese side. What specific requests will the Chinese government put forward to the US Department of Commerce?
(2005-05-30 16:16:16)

(2005-05-30 16:23:01)
Bo
Textile is certainly a hot topic in the Sino-US trade relations. We are going to meet the new US Commerce Secretary and the new USTR Mr. Portman. There are many trade highlights between China and the US. We indeed have many arguments and quarrels, but we notice with great delight that two decades of reform and opening-up have witnessed a growing trade volume between us despite these arguments and quarrels. The Ministry of Commerce is well prepared to meet and exchange views with Mr. Portman and Mr. Gutierrez. The two sides are also actively preparing for the next session of the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT). As you know, Vice Premier Wu Yi was in the US last year to co-chair the 15th session of the JCCT with Ambassador Zoelick and Secretary Evans. Dominated by many issues, the last JCCT was a great success and it played an obviously important role in promoting Sino-US commercial and trade ties. We will try to turn this year's JCCT with a very substantive agenda into another success.





(2005-05-30 16:25:07) Bo
I believe despite many trade problems between China and the US, we are making progress. Therefore, we are optimistic about Sino-US trade. Someone also mentioned US trade deficit against China. Actually, it is because of our mutual benefit and the win-win results, the trade volume between China and the US has been expanding. The expansion also reflects the rationality and complementarity of the China-US economic and trade relations. Therefore, we are optimistic about our economic and trade ties. We are ready to address existing problems through consultation based on equality and reciprocity.
(2005-05-30 16:25:07)

(2005-05-30 16:27:52)
Bo
We are listening carefully to enterprises, especially those export-oriented enterprises, from various cities and provinces for the difficulties they're facing. The imposition of safeguards by the EU and the US over Chinese textile products has surely suffered us with an immediate loss. For example, the restriction on 7 textile products imposed by the US has in fact affected more than 2 billion USD of Chinese exports and 160,000 jobs in China. The restriction by the EU over two Chinese textiles also affects 300 million USD of Chinese exports and the relevant workforce. Therefore, the Chinese government attaches great importance to the concern of its enterprises, and is actively consulting with the EU and the US. Thank you.
(2005-05-30 16:27:52)

(2005-05-30 16:30:16)
Hong Kong Wen Wei Po reporter
Minister Bo, recently in the trade friction over textile between the Chinese mainland and the US and the EU, the Chinese mainland decided to exempt the export duties on textile products under Output Processing Arrangement (OPA) from Hong Kong. What implications will this measure have on the promotion of domestic textile industry? Facing the current pressure by the US and the EU on Chinese textile products, China may shift some of its textile production to Hong Kong in order to avoid risks. What role will Hong Kong play in the current trade situation?
(2005-05-30 16:30:16)





Bo :(2005-05-30 16:33:24)
Here we have two preconditions: First, Hong Kong is a WTO member and is a Separate Customs Territory. Second, the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong established CEPA, or Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, a free trade agreement signed by the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, which has been notified to and reviewed by the WTO. According to WTO rules, preferential treatment provided between FTA signatories is an allowed exception of the General System of Preference of the WTO. Therefore, the Chinese government has to provide due support to the production and economic development in Hong Kong within the right legal framework.

(2005-05-30 16:35:27)
Turkish reporter
I want to know if China will continue to levy export duties on other textile products. If yes, when?

(2005-05-30 16:38:34)
Bo
We decided to impose export duties on some textile products on January 1 and June 1, 2005. Generally speaking, we will continue to implement these decisions. What we will exclude from the list are those textile products already subject to the EU or US restrictions.
(2005-05-30 16:38:34)

(2005-05-30 16:39:21)
(People's Daily reporter)
We notice besides the US and the EU, some developing countries are also considering safeguard actions against Chinese textiles. They're also apprehensive about the scale and competitiveness of Chinese textile exports. What's your reading of this? In a separate incident, we recently surveyed some companies and active readers for their views on the issue of textile. There has been a general argument, that is, since the EU and the US practice clearly violate WTO principles and have affected domestic production to such great gravity, why hasn't China turned to the WTO with a well-justified complaint or taken corresponding retaliatory measures? Would you comment on that? Thank you.





(2005-05-30 16:40:17)
(Bo Xilai): Thank you. On your question relating to developing countries, I want to say the Chinese government has always attached great importance to developing economic ties with other developing nations, who have been our old friends. China is up to now still a developing country. Its per capita GDP has just gone over 1200 USD. There remains a large low-income population in central and west China. So emotionally we deeply understand the needs and hardships of other developing nations.

We actually took some very realistic measures toward textile industries in other developing nations. For example, as of January 19, China had exempted its imports from the 25 least developed African nations from tariffs. During the same period, we have cancelled the debts owed by the governments of some least developed countries to the Chinese government. We have been encouraging Chinese textile companies to go global and working with other developing countries in transforming their old and existing textile companies and sharpening their technological competence and competitiveness.,

(2005-05-30 16:42:00)
On your second question, I did hear many voices from Chinese textile companies, including those reflected by China's textile associations, requesting the Chinese government take retaliatory trade measures when Chinese companies are unfairly treated. Personally, I think their acute perception of pressure and their expression of dissatisfaction under such pressure are understandable. But we do not necessarily take the road of retaliation because there're wide-ranging areas in China-US and China-EU trade and economic cooperation. I believe, a sound trading environment is both a blessing to China-EU and China-US relationships but also to the peoples.

As a matter of fact, after China's accession to the WTO, China and the EU and China and the US have resolved a large number of trade disputes through consultations and negotiations.





(2005-05-30 16:45:05)
However, we also see some countries easily resort to restrictions when faced with trade disputes rather than find appropriate ways to solve the problems. We believe that style is of no good for solving trade disputes. In the international trade arena, some countries are used to always acting on their own. They have decades of rich experience in fighting trade wars, about which they really feel good. Actually their style is darkening their image and disgracing fair trade. What shall we do with these people? As China is a country of courtesy and propriety, our general approach will be to talk them out of doing that and ask them to listen more to others.

On your third question about the possibility of bringing the case to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism, let me make three points: First, the DSM is a legitimate right that China is entitled to. We will use this right when it is time to do so. Second, bilateral negotiations have advantages of them own. However, they also easily lead to a situation where each party claims to be right and no solution is possible as there is no judge. Third, sometimes one-to-one talk is less effective than a multilateral mechanism, whereby the public can judge who is right and who is wrong. Furthermore, I'd like to point out that the imposition of safeguards against Chinese products are both WTO-incompatible and discriminatory. We are therefore firmly opposed to it. Of course, whether and when we will resort to the DSM is completely up to the Chinese side.

(2005-05-30 16:46:11)
Norway National Broadcasting TV Station Journalist:
I have been speaking to a lot of people in the textile industry in China and I give them two choices if they could have either penalizing tariffs from the EU and the United States or the government considers increasing the value of RMB. They said they would rather have the penalizing tariffs. To what extent do you agree with that? By penalizing tariffs, I mean the high tariff rates the EU and the US are going to impose on Chinese textile exports, or quantitative restrictions, such as quotas.





(2005-05-30 16:47:40)
I would like to confirm with you whether by penalizing tariff rates against Chinese products you are referring to the very famous Schumer Amendment. When we try to solve trade disputes with the EU and the US, we must keep a close watch of their attitudes. Our principle is actually very simple: first, we must abide by the WTO rules. We will never ever give up our legitimate rights in the WTO. Therefore we will not accept the EU Guidelines or the US Overall Arrangements. Second, we will try our utmost to safeguard the interests of Chinese companies.

(2005-05-30 16:49:13)
The penalizing tariff part of your question brings us back to the very first question raised at this press conference, that is, whether the EU and the US will use Paragraph 242 to impose restrictions on Chinese textiles. With regard to Paragraph 242, we believe it is above all discriminatory. At the time of WTO accession, we agreed to it as a compromise. However China's WTO membership is a balance of rights and obligations and of advances and retreats. In nature, Paragraph 242 targets exclusively China. So we believe it is at the same time discriminatory. However we acknowledge the legal effectiveness of Paragraph 242. We simply emphasize here that the substance and procedures provided by the Paragraph should be strictly followed.

(2005-05-30 16:51:09)
To summarize, I believe the imposition of restrictions against Chinese products by the EU and the US according to Paragraph 242 is based on insufficient evidentiary grounds. It is a hasty decision made with unscientific judgments and to a large extent an "impression score" for Chinese textile exports. It is a rather random off-the-head decision based on feelings rather than facts. Under these circumstances, we will naturally have serious consultations with the EU and the US to express our opinions.

(2005-05-30 16:52:19)
As I told you, Governor Zhou Xiaochuan is the right person to answer your question about RMB. In fact, I believe that on the issue of RMB, there is a lot of misunderstanding in the EU and the US. In the US and EU commercial circles, there are clearly opposing opinions on whether the RMB value should appreciate. I think the Chinese government, in making any important decision, first bases its consideration on the need and possibility of China's economic development. In addition, as a large responsible trading nation, China needs to take it into account the stable development of global finance and trade.

(2005-05-30 16:53:01)
CCTV China Financial Report Journalist:
The EU and the US are now imposing restrictive measures against Chinese textile exports and China has voluntarily taken measures on its exports, for example, the imposition of export duties to lift the export threshold. Some companies have been affected. Now their major concern is whether the government will take similar steps in similar events, which is unfavorable for them. This is my first question. My second question relates to the elimination of export duties on 81 tariff lines of textile products. My question is what are the remaining tariff lines that are not exempted from the export duty?





(2005-05-30 16:56:36)
Firstly with regard to the remaining tariff lines, I suggest that you check out the website of MOFCOM where you can find detailed information you are interested in. Secondly about the future possible measures that may be taken by the Chinese government against Chinese textile companies to check their exports, let me put it this way: From the beginning of this year the Chinese government took a series of measures. However it is untrue that the government wanted to increase the burden on textile companies. This should be made clear. Given the current environment of global economy and trade, the government has to balance the pros and cons when it makes decisions because we want to create the best environment for Chinese companies. We like to see orderly exports of textiles because we hope we can help Chinese textile companies avoid the risks in the international market. It is true that some discriminatory things and restraints on us do exist on us in the global trading system, which is a legacy issue. We must face the international economic and trade environment in a sensible way.


(2005-05-30 16:57:56)
Bo: We hope to find for our enterprises a path with few risks and more stable development. Therefore, the Chinese government adopted the above measures in a very responsible manner. In addition, these measures are conducive to the restructuring of our enterprises and the transformation of trade growth mode. Because our enterprises should also keep pace with the time and shall not always produce low added-value products. As regards whether we will adopt further measures, in fact everyone shall be prepared to respond. Such is international trade and commerce that one wave is followed by another. We have to take it easy with such a trade environment.
(2005-05-30 16:57:56)

(2005-05-30 16:58:47)
Bo: Generally speaking, the Chinese government cares much for our enterprises. In return, our textile enterprises have made contributions to China's exports, employment and foreign exchange reserves. Therefore, whenever talking about the development of the textile industry, leaders of our country would always sing high praise for them. As a labor intensive industry, it has created a lot of value as well as many job opportunities. We pay our heartfelt tributes to all the employees in textile enterprises. At the same time, MOFCOM, as a service provider, will better serve our textile enterprises. Thank you.
(2005-05-30 16:58:47)

(2005-05-30 17:00:22)
Bo: To conclude, I would like to point out that it is not only we Chinese who hold these opinions, many foreign friends with a fair and objective view also share our opinions. For example, the incoming WTO Director General Mr. Lamy pointed out, this paragraph violates the fair and free trade principle as WTO rules should not target one specific country. Many things taking place now did not happen all of a sudden and were not unpredictable. Mr. Rodrigo Rato, Chairman of the IMF, once said that trade rules must be transparent, and there should be no prejudice in trade relations. Mr. Supachai, Director General of the WTO, pointed out that it was wrong to erect a trade protectionist wall against China, and that figures of just a few months could not clearly demonstrate the impacts on trade. The International Herald Tribune of the United States said the market share of Chinese products grew because the Americans and the Europeans wanted so.
(2005-05-30 17:00:22)





(2005-05-30 17:05:23)
Bo: Trade Minister of Sweden once cautioned that an ever-expanding and worrisome trend of trade protectionism might impair the competitiveness of the European Union. The UK non-governmental charity, the OXFAM, said that Europe had 10 years to prepare for such a change in trade rules, yet they decided not to do anything, that Europe maintained most of the quotas till the last minute, rather than eliminate them in an orderly and stage-by-stage way, and that China should not be punished for that. Ms. Evenson, President of the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA), said that the value-for-money Chinese products helped create hundreds of thousands of jobs for the retailing sector of US textile products, and that this figure was not lower that the total employment in the US textile sector during its golden age 40 years ago. Washington Post and Wall Street Journal pointed out that the US government had no reason and no necessity to protect its dying textile industry.
(2005-05-30 17:05:23)

(2005-05-30 17:07:33)
Bo: IMF Chief Rato also said that it was a big mistake to try to correct global trade imbalance through trade restrictions. The US Association of Importers of Textile and Apparel (USA-ITA) expressed that they wished the Chinese government could bring the case to the WTO. Chairman of the Brussels Foreign Trade Association said that if China levies export duty, we will have to increase the price directly. Chris Patten, a well-know figure to Chinese people, recently said that there is absolutely no reason for the EU and the US to impose restrictions on Chinese textiles.
(2005-05-30 17:07:33)

(2005-05-30 17:07:57) Bo: In addition, I would like to share with you a few remarks by EU Trade Commissioner Mandelson, which I believe are relatively objective. He said something to the effect that China is not to blame for the rapid increase of its textile exports. China has taken into consideration the interests of some vulnerable countries and shown an attitude of responsibility. China has contributed to the growth of the world economy, and has brought benefits to the Europeans. The rise in China's status may make some people suffer, yet in the long run such pressure is constructive and positive. We shall be wiser, rather than maintain the status quo and depend on trade protectionism. Meanwhile, I would also like to say that the US also did a few good jobs last year. The USTR turned down proposals of trade protectionist measure against China on three occasions. President Bush himself also turned down on two occasions proposals to impose restrictions on China.
(2005-05-30 17:07:57)

(2005-05-30 17:10:38) Bo: The reason why I mentioned all these is to show the world's media one opinion, i.e. China is fact-honoring country. We comment every move by the EU and the US in an objective way. If they are correct, we recognize it; if they are wrong, we criticize them. We hope to resolve trade frictions facing us through correct criticism and self-criticism. In the end, I would like to say that we have spent the whole afternoon talking about textile trade. This issue is of course important to the EU and the US. However it is not that important, as it only accounts for a very limited share, namely less than one tenth, of the bilateral trade between China and the US, and China and the EU.
(2005-05-30 17:10:38)

(2005-05-30 17:12:22)
Bo: In fact, China and the US, and the EU have already sorted out their division of labor. The EU and the US are at the higher and middle ends, whereas we are at the lower end. Each party shall be left to do their own job, rather than quarrel with one another over the low-end textile issue. The EU and the US should spend more energy on the development of high-technology, on Airbus and Boeing, rather than quarrel with us on socks and trousers. If you focus on these small, low-added-value products, it will be counterproductive for European and American economic experts and entrepreneurs to do things of greater importance. Thank you.
(2005-05-30 17:12:22)

(2005-05-30 17:12:43) (Guo Weiming):
That brings us to the end of today's press conference. Thank you Minister Bo, thank you everyone.
(2005-05-30 17:12:43)



Print

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商务部部长薄熙来出席国务院新闻发布会

2005-05-30 14:34  
 【文字直播】English   【图片直播】   【视频直播】

  商务部部长薄熙来于2005年5月30日下午3时出席国务院新闻办新闻发布会,介绍当前纺织品问题的有关情况并回答记者提问。

【主持人郭卫民】:
  女士们、先生们,下午好!中美、中欧纺织品贸易问题是近一个时期国内外媒体十分关注的热点问题。今天我们很高兴请来商务部部长薄熙来先生,介绍纺织品贸易的有关问题,并回答大家提问。
(2005-05-30 14:56:07)

【郭卫民】:
  这是薄部长就任商务部长以后第一次出席国务院新闻办的发布会。近一个时期以来,国内外媒体跟我们建议,希望薄部长到新闻办来跟大家见面,这也是大家所期待的。

  出席今天发布会的还有商务部部长助理易小准先生,部长助理傅自应先生,商务部外贸司司长鲁建华先生。

  现在请薄熙来部长做介绍。
(2005-05-30 15:00:00)

【薄熙来】:
  各位记者,大家下午好!非常高兴有这么一个机会跟大家进行交流,因为今天的时间有限,我们要好好的利用它。作为中国政府来讲,对于纺织品贸易,我们有很多话要讲,也有很多问题希望和各国的主流媒体进行充分的交流。这一段时间,中国的纺织业界、进出口商会对这些事情高度关切,国外对这个事情议论也颇多,我们已经和美国、欧盟以及很多国家在这个问题上进行过讨论,希望今天就这个事情回答大家共同关心的问题。
(2005-05-30 15:01:43)

【郭卫民】:
  现在请媒体提问。
(2005-05-30 15:03:41)

【布隆博格新闻社记者】:
  部长先生,我非常感谢您给我这样的机会提问,今天的发布会也是我们期待已久的了。第一个问题,中方如何来回应美国和欧盟方面所持的观点,即他们针对中国纺织品所采取的保障措施是正确的,使得他们作为WTO的成员利益能够得到保障的一种方法。第二个问题,作为回应,中方是否会降低她作为WTO成员所承诺的市场开放的程度,来对美国和欧盟威胁将要针对中国纺织品进口采取的上限?第三个问题,美国人一直认为目前人民币的汇率是被人为的低估了,使得中国出口的商品过于便宜,您是否认为人民币汇率和浮动的空间调整一下,不仅能帮助解决中国纺织品的问题,同时也帮助中方解决其他方面的问题?
(2005-05-30 15:10:41)

【薄熙来】:
  我来回答第一个问题,就是关于中国对于美欧采用对中国纺织品设限的办法来约束我们的出口,他们依据的条款是大家所熟悉的“242条款”,就是中国加入WTO报告书里有个242条款。我们认为欧美援引242条款对中国的纺织品设限是缺乏根据的,是不正确的。我们认为,242条款如果援引它的规则的话,应该是有条件的,也就是说,要证明中国的纺织品确实对欧美的市场存在着市场扰乱、存在着威胁阻碍贸易的有序发展的情况。而且应该证明,中国进口的产品造成了市场扰乱,并且因为市场扰乱导致了威胁阻碍贸易的有序发展,也就是说,二者之间应该是有因果关系的。此外,还需要有充分证据,即因为采取了限制措施,你们要对中国提出磋商,需向中方提交关于你采取设限措施的详细事实说明,即使用242条款是有几个条件的:
(2005-05-30 15:13:29)

【薄熙来】:
  第一,你要证明增长,但增长不是唯一的条件,在增长的前提下要证明市场扰乱,市场扰乱还不够,还要证明它是威胁阻碍了贸易的有序发展,要证明中国的产品增长和对于欧美市场受到扰乱的情况有因果关系。而且为此要给中方提供详尽的证明材料,这一切可以说欧美缺项很多,难以证明。
(2005-05-30 15:15:47)

【薄熙来】:
  就市场扰乱这个概念而言,我觉得至少应该考虑三个因素:第一,短期内是否存在着快速增长;第二,中国的纺织品如果是快速增长的话,它对于欧美市场的价格是不是有明显的影响?第三,在这种情况下,对进口国国内的产业有没有实质性的损害?我认为,欧美不仅没有向中方提供详尽的数据,而且在这些问题上,和我们的看法,和我们对具体事实的分析都有很大的差距。有认识上、看法上的差异并没有关系,就应该认真的进行交流。但是,欧美仅凭三、四个月的数据,就草率的对中国的纺织品设限,这是完全没有道理的,也是不科学的。
(2005-05-30 15:17:36)

【薄熙来】:
  我再举个例子,拿价格的变化来说,欧美一些人在这方面有很多说法。最近,欧盟提出对中国的两种产品进行设限,第一是T恤衫,我们有一个数字,2005年1月份,T恤衫每打97欧元,2005年3月份是101欧元,可见欧盟T恤衫的市场价格不降反升,不能证明存在着市场扰乱,而且这是欧盟提供给我们的数据。另外,亚麻纱,据欧方统计,2005年3月进口我们的亚麻纱增长了3%。所以,并不能证明欧盟进口中国的产品在这段时间里价格下降或者影响了当地的市场。欧美对中国的纺织品设限,主要依据是中国的纺织品激增,而且用了很多形容词,比如像火山爆发,甚至像海啸等等一些形容词。但是,我认为在这里有很多的夸张。
(2005-05-30 15:18:01)

【薄熙来】:
  我们可以很负责任的告诉诸位,整个中国纺织品在2005年1月1日全球一体化以后出口的概况。总体来讲,2005年1—4月,中国纺织品全部出口一共是312亿美元,同比增长18.4%,增幅比去年同期下降了5个百分点。你了解,中国纺织品在这个时间的出口增长百分之十八点多,是远远低于这个时期中国整个出口35%的增幅的。
(2005-05-30 15:20:01)

【薄熙来】:
  我们的确了解,在这个阶段,中国对美纺织品的出口增长了70%,对欧盟增长了45%。但是,从去年年底到今年年初,中国政府一直在积极想办法,希望中国纺织品出口对欧美市场实现平稳的增长,采取了很多措施。也正因为如此,我们高兴地看到,在1—4月中国对欧美市场,尽管总体有一个增长,但是,有两个下降,一个是增幅逐月下降,一个是纺织品占到我们中欧贸易、中美贸易的比重也是逐月的下降。
(2005-05-30 15:22:14)

【薄熙来】:
  另外,我还想告诉大家我们认定的第三个事实,也就是说,原来属于配额产品的中国纺织品对欧美的出口,确实增长幅度是大的,对美国的增长幅度是250%,对欧盟的增长幅度是82%。但是,我们认为,这种增长是正常的,为什么呢?因为它是由过去长期扭曲自由贸易的配额体制转向现在纺织品一体化、转向纺织品的自由化这个过程中所发生的现象,这和正常贸易过程中某一年、某一个时期、某种产品的突然激增是两种完全不同的情况。这个情况是可以预见的,经济界的人士对这个问题多年以前就已经预料到了。因此,这个问题并没有给哪个国家带来一种突然袭击,它是正常的转换。这种增幅在过去取消某些产品配额的时候,也同样出现过这种情况。面对这种情况,即使我们要做出决定,按照“242”的规则来说,我们有很多因素需要讨论的,不应该在这么短的时间里,没有给中方提供充分的数据,就提起正式的磋商请求,进入设限的程序。
(2005-05-30 15:22:38)

【薄熙来】:
  第二个问题,中国是不是会在这个方面主动地降低我们的市场准入,减少我们的出口,来应对这个局面?我想跟你说,中国在纺织品一体化以后,我们享受这个权利是理所当然的。中国经过了15年的时间谈判,才加入了WTO,在这个过程中,我们中方和WTO的一些成员国进行了翻来覆去的磋商。最后,中国加入WTO,是一个权利和义务平衡的结果。纺织品是中国应得的,是以我们其他方面的市场开放为条件而获得的一个应有的回报,这是平衡的。因此,中国企业理所当然享受一体化的成果。
(2005-05-30 15:25:17)

【薄熙来】:
  在纺织品一体化后,会不会在欧美市场上出现一些纺织品的出口量激增的情况呢?如果按照十年前乌拉圭回合达成的WTO 的ATC协议,发达国家忠诚地、实在地履行他们的承诺,分阶段地放开配额,就不会出现这种情况。但是,遗憾的是,发达国家并没有这样做,他们把最紧俏的、大家最关心的、发展中国家最有出口潜力的那些配额保留到最后一刻,美国保留了90%,欧盟保留了70%,保留到最后一刻。以至于到2005年1月1日体制转换的时候,给外界的印象,出现了中国纺织品激增的现象。所以,如果究其原因,欧美应该理解,在这个很长的过程中,他们是失职的,是没有尽到应尽的责任的。
(2005-05-30 15:29:17)

【薄熙来】:
  尽管如此,作为一个负责任的贸易大国,尽管中国还有很多困难,尽管我们深知纺织品一体化的权益是我们应得的。但是中国政府出于对欧美市场平稳过渡的一种责任感,还是在今年年初就做出了一些重大的决策,来自主地限制我们纺织品的出口,降低出口增幅,其中采取了降低出口退税率,实行纺织产品的出口自动许可,以及对某些纺织品加征出口关税,采取了十项重要的措施。正是这十项重要措施的实施,保证了欧美市场目前较为平衡的状态。
(2005-05-30 15:31:59)

【薄熙来】:
  中国政府非常重视中欧关系、中美关系,我们希望在平等友好的基础上,不断发展同美国、同欧盟经济界的友好合作。所以,我们采取了一些WTO承诺以外的、特殊的、自主的政策措施,我认为公道的人都应该看到,这是中国政府负责任的一种表现。我们也愿意通过认真的磋商,来妥善地处理中欧、中美纺织品贸易方面的问题。

  关于你提出的人民币的问题,我想下次你还是问周小川行长吧。
(2005-05-30 15:34:11)

【CCTV新闻中心记者】:
  在美国已对纺织品设限的情况下,商务部下一步如何在谈判中更好地维护中国纺织业的利益?谢谢。
(2005-05-30 15:35:23)
  
【薄熙来】:
  纺织业是我们中国非常重要的产业,同时又是劳动密集型的产业,涉及到直接就业的人口大概1900万人,如果加上相关的就业人口就更多了。所以,中国政府高度重视中国纺织品的问题。我曾经读过一个表格,在现在欧美对我们设限的品种背后,每一个品种涉及到至少一千家企业,多则达到六千家企业。所以,纺织品出口对于中国的企业来说是非常重要的,中国政府也非常关切,刚才我提到的1900万人就业,有相当一部分人在中国是低收入的家庭。所以,纺织品的问题关系到千家万户,关系到广大职工的就业,中国政府非常关切。
(2005-05-30 15:36:20)

【薄熙来】:
  近一段时间,包括胡主席、温总理都非常的关切,温总理对这个事情多次过问,希望我们的企业能够平稳地渡过这一关,希望我们的企业能够在受到设限冲击的时候,有一个平稳的生产,职工家庭生活稳定。在这种情况下,商务部正在全力以赴制定应对措施,我们正在跟美国、欧盟就这个问题进行谈判和磋商。但是有一条,我们绝不会接受美国在纺织品一体化一开始就提出来的综合性安排的意见,也不接受欧盟提出的行动指南,因为这两个东西实际上就是要在全球纺织品一体化以后,又拿出另外一个东西,这个东西并不是经过大家讨论而拿出来的,而是他们自己发明的。事实上,这将取消中国在纺织品一体化后获得的法律权利。因此,我们始终不同意这一点。
(2005-05-30 15:39:01)

【薄熙来】:
  不久前,吴仪副总理还专门召开了工作会议,请有关方面的同志参加,而且邀请了企业界的代表,在这个过程中,我们要充分听取中国企业界的意见,听到他们的呼声。现在中国纺织工业协会、中国纺织品进出口商会,都已经充分向中国政府表述了企业界的意见。在此之前,商务部也多次找企业界的代表来进行商讨。事实上,现在涉及到中国纺织品出口,不仅有中国的企业,而且还有相当多的外商投资企业。因为中国经过20多年的改革开放,实际上经济结构已经是你中有我、我中有你,中外企业的利益是交织在一起的,很难断然分开。在这个过程中,我们会为中国企业伸张正义,我们会尽其所能在谈判中据理力争,维护我们的企业在加入WTO的时候所获得的权利。纺织品一体化是我们的一个重要权利,在这个问题上中国政府高度重视,商务部会在谈判中把这个作为我们工作的重点。谢谢。
(2005-05-30 15:41:36)

【意大利新闻报记者】:
  在意大利,主要受影响的是那些中小企业,中小企业恐怕也没有太大的实力到中国来投资建立一些合资企业。但是,他们受到的影响是最大的,您是中国的商务部长,对他们有什么好建议,怎么应付目前的困难?谢谢。
(2005-05-30 15:43:09)

【薄熙来】:
  我已经听说了,主张欧盟对中国纺织产品设限最积极的三个国家中,意大利是其中之一。我认为,恐怕你们没算过帐来,因为实际上中意的经贸关系,在过去这些年有了很大的发展。正因为有发展,我们是互利的,意大利的企业在中国的发展是有利可图的。我们确实向意大利出口了很多纺织品,但是这些纺织品都是低值的,同时我们从意大利进口了很多纺织机械和服装面料,在意大利都是很有名的,应该说你们的纺织机械比中国出口的服装产品的价值要高多了。
(2005-05-30 15:48:19)

【薄熙来】:
  而且意大利的朋友可以计算一下,你们那么优秀的机械和纺织面料,以后向世界上哪一个国家出口呢?恐怕中国是最大的市场。而且意大利的工商纺织界也大可不必把中国纺织品对贵国的出口夸大了,中意之间纺织品的出口,只占中意之间贸易总额的五分之一。而且中意之间在其他的领域已经展现了极好的合作前景。倒过来讲,在纺织品的领域里,你们事实上已经完成了结构调整,有些纺织产品你们确实是缺乏竞争力的,即使不从中国进口,也会转而进口其他国家的东西,解决不了意大利现实的问题。
(2005-05-30 15:50:11)

【薄熙来】:
  我认为,做生意也要放宽眼界,做大蛋糕。你这样一说,我想起来意大利有个马可波罗,多少年前的人,眼光就那么长远,那时候就能跑到中国来做生意。如果马可波罗先生突然醒过来,得知意大利现在要对中国优质、物美价廉的纺织品设限,他一定会感到很惊奇或者感到很遗憾的。
(2005-05-30 15:50:31)

【新华社记者】:
  记得薄部长在北京财富论坛上谈到过欧美对于自由贸易采取双重标准,请您进一步加以阐述。谢谢。
(2005-05-30 15:51:14)

【薄熙来】:
  我所说的双重标准,当时指的是在欧美发达国家有竞争能力的产业里,欧美是极力的倡导自由贸易的,主张其他的国家一定要打开他们的大门。但是,对于发展中国家能够挑战他们产业的一些产品,就马上搞贸易保护主义,关上大门,我认为这是双重标准。事实上,欧美提倡自由贸易已经有很长的时间了,欧洲是自由贸易的发明家,十八世纪中叶就有了,长达200多年的时间了。但是,在历史的过程中,应该说绝大多数的产业,欧美发达国家都占有绝对的优势,发展中国家没有条件和他们去竞争。中国作为一个发展中的国家,经历了千辛万苦,终于慢慢积累形成了一个有竞争力的产业,就是纺织和服装产业。
(2005-05-30 15:56:26)

【薄熙来】:
  如果是一个标准,是真正的自由贸易,我认为发达国家应该能够容忍发展中国家在这个领域来显示他们的能力,让发展中国家的服装纺织业释放他们的生产能量,其实这无伤发达国家的市场。但是,近几个月,欧美的表现令人遗憾,对中国为代表的发展中国家的服装纺织业,劳动密集型的产业所形成的低值的产品,采取了极力抵制的态度,而且是迫不急待,所以我说是双重标准。而且采取这种双重标准也挺让人为这些经济专家感到惋惜,因为一方面提倡了一两百年的自由贸易,这个体制是非常漂亮的。另一方面,一旦等到发展中国家有条件挑战发达国家的某些产业的时候,还是一个对他们无伤筋骨的产业,他们就受不住了,就要找出一大堆的理由来制约、来限制,甚至采取数量限制的办法。
(2005-05-30 15:59:50)

【薄熙来】:
  当然,我们正在跟欧美进行谈判,在法律上他们也能讲出很多观点来,也能讲出不少道道来,在这个问题上有很多争论点。但是不论怎么样,说一千道一万,归根结底,对中国的纺织品采取数量限制,在WTO自由贸易这个普遍的原则下是不光彩的,是一种保护主义。因此,在这个问题上,我们要为中国的业界,也是为发展中国家说几句公道话。
(2005-05-30 16:00:07)

【薄熙来】:
  打个比方,事实上,在全世界的贸易土地上,纺织业是一块非常贫瘠的土地,发展中国家挤在这块土地上耕种,有多少国家来耕种这块纺织业的土地、这块市场?人均面积很小。而发达国家占有着高端、中端市场,如果讲贸易的话,那是肥田沃土。现在对于他们历来占有优势的贸易领域,他们是抓住不放,而且还要进行限制,你总要让发展中国家干点事儿吧?好,我们开始搞服装、搞纺织,结果刚刚进入2005年1月1日,实现一体化4个月的时间里,开始对我们设限。所以,我认为这是一个双重标准。讲自由贸易,应该是同等的竞争条件,而且既然达成了协议,就应该是真实的,而不是达成了协议以后不执行,或者在达成的协议中又埋下很多伏笔,我觉得这就是双重标准。谢谢。
(2005-05-30 16:03:34)

【西班牙电视台记者】:
  请问薄部长,我们得知财政部公布了对81项纺织品取消征收出口关税的文件,我们想知道中国为什么这么做?这么做的后果是什么?另外,我们也想知道,你们说要做很多的努力,就是为了改变出口猛涨的趋势,出口关税取消之后,你们还打算做什么样的努力?谢谢。
(2005-05-30 16:03:43)

【薄熙来】:
  关于加征出口关税有两次,一次是2005年1月1日,那次加征关税涉及到148个8位税号,第二次是5月20日,中国的税则委公布对74种10位税号加征关税。这两次加征关税都是中国政府主动采取的措施,其目的是为了稳定我们的出口,同时也是促使中国的企业转变贸易增长方式。第二次加征出口关税和第一次有所不同,在于我们已经拿到的一些数据,根据1、2、3月中国纺织品出口对欧美市场实际的增长情况,进行了科学的、系统的分析。在分析、研究的基础上,对于那些出口呈现快速增长的产品,我们要特别的加征关税,来抑制它的增长。所以第二次是有选择性的,第一次是比较宽泛的,第二次是很有针对性的。而且我们相信,这个关税政策执行以后,对于抑制对欧美出口的增长是会非常有效的。因为对于那些快速增长的纺织品,我们的税率比第一次要高得多。
(2005-05-30 16:05:51)

【薄熙来】:
  你也可以看到,中国政府对于全球贸易是何等的负责任。但是,在出台这项政策的时候,我们也有言在先,就是如果今后什么地方对中国的纺织品出口设限,进行数量限制,那么我们将把这些加征出口关税的产品从我们征税的目录中排除,毫无疑问,我们不能让中国的纺织品受到双重的压力。
(2005-05-30 16:08:55)

【薄熙来】:
  我曾一再向欧美方面的代表建议,你们要重视这个政策,这是一个来之不易的政策,是一个有效力的政策。但遗憾的是,欧美并没有接受这一点,美国先是对三种、又对四种中国的纺织品设限,然后是欧盟对两种中国的纺织品设限,实际上既然你们已经对中国的纺织品进行数量上的限制,中国政府怎么可能对这些产品再加征出口关税呢?中国政府必须非常公平、公正地对待中国的企业,在要求他们顾全大局的时候,我们也得给他们一个公平的待遇。也就是说,如果欧盟、如果美国并没有高度重视中国加征出口关税的措施,仍然采取设限,你们对中国产品采取设限,我们就相应的调整我们的政策,你给我们的企业加上半斤的压力,我就要给它撤掉八两的负担。
(2005-05-30 16:11:27)

【薄熙来】:
  另外,我想顺便说一句,讲到加征出口关税,前段时间的5月20日,中国税则委第二次加征关税的公告发布以后,有外国舆论认为这是欧美对于中国使用242条款实施压力以后,中国政府不得不出台的一种政策,我认为这完全是一种错误的理解。因为早在几个月以前,中国政府就已经开始研究如何更有效地实施加征出口关税的政策。大家知道,任何一个有效的政策,都需要至少一两个月、两三个月酝酿政策的时间。因为中国是一个讲原则的国家,是不怕压力的,所以直到美国对中国的产品设限,我们也并没有接受美国提出的综合性安排的方案。现在中方仍然愿意同欧盟、同美国进行磋商,来妥善的解决我们面临的纺织品的贸易摩擦。
(2005-05-30 16:13:35)


【CCTV经济频道记者】:
  薄部长,您刚才讲到6月1号取消关税的国际背景,我们想了解,您这儿有没有表明国内产业受到影响的背景和数据?另外,我们知道,美国商务部部长会访华,磋商一些问题,中国政府会向美国的商务部提出哪些具体的要求?
(2005-05-30 16:16:16)

【薄熙来】:
  谈到中美之间的贸易,纺织品当然是一个热点问题,我们会和美国新任的商务部长,也包括新任USTR代表波特曼先生进行交流。中美之间有很多贸易点,确实我们有很多争论,但是我们也可以欣慰的看到,在过去的20多年中国改革开放的历程中,尽管我们对不少问题的意见是不一样的,而且有不少的争论甚至争吵。但是,中美两国的贸易还是越做越大。这次波特曼先生要来,古铁雷斯先生要来,我们商务部已经做好准备,和他进行具体的交流。而且中美双方正在积极的筹备联委会。去年大家知道,吴仪副总理到美国去,和佐立克先生、埃文斯先生召开了第15届中美商贸联委会,取得了很大的成功。在商贸联委会上谈到了很多问题,而且进一步推动了中美商贸关系的进一步发展,它的作用是非常明显的。今年我们要力争召开一个成功的商贸联委会,而且今年有很多议题。
(2005-05-30 16:23:01)

【薄熙来】:
  我认为,中美两国的贸易尽管有很多贸易问题,但是我们还是在不断的发展,因此我们对中美贸易是乐观的。有人也提起中美贸易的逆差问题,事实上,中美两国正因为我们互利双赢,所以中美两国的贸易额才能不断的做大。也正因为做大,才说明了中美两国经贸关系的合理性、互补性。因此,我们对中美两国的经贸关系前景是乐观的,在互利互惠的基础上,我们愿意通过平等协商,来妥善解决目前面临的问题。
(2005-05-30 16:25:07)

【薄熙来】:
  至于国内企业目前所面临的问题,我们正在认真地听取各个省市,特别是出口型企业所面临的困难。当然,由于欧美对中国的纺织品设限,给我们的损失是直接的。比如说美国现在对7种纺织品设限,实际上已经影响到中国20亿美元的出口,影响到16万人的就业。目前欧盟对中国的两种纺织品设限,也影响到3亿多美元的出口和相应的就业人数。所以,中国政府对中国企业的关切十分重视,正在积极地跟欧美进行磋商。谢谢。
(2005-05-30 16:27:52)

【香港文汇报记者】:
  请问薄部长,近日来,在内地和欧美的纺织品的贸易摩擦中,内地决定对香港的OPA纺织品免征出口关税,这个举措对促进内地的纺织品会产生什么样的影响?在目前美欧对中国纺织品的压力下,中国的纺织品可以有一部分到香港生产,这样可以规避风险。请问在目前的贸易中,香港会起到怎样的作用?
(2005-05-30 16:30:16)

【薄熙来】:
  这里有两个前提,第一,香港是WTO的成员,单独关税区;第二,内地和香港搞了一个CEPA,就是更紧密经贸关系的安排,这是内地和香港签署的自由贸易协定,而且这个自由贸易协定,已经向世贸组织进行了通报,并接受了审议。根据WTO的规则,自由贸易的协议缔约方,相互给予优惠措施,是WTO普惠制原则的例外。也正因为如此,我们要对于香港方面的生产和经济发展,给予我们在法律框架内应有的支持。
(2005-05-30 16:33:24)

【土耳其阿纳多卢通讯社记者】:
  请问薄部长,我想知道对于中国出口的其他纺织品,中国政府是否还会继续采取加征关税的措施?如果这么做的话,什么时候出台相关的政策呢?
(2005-05-30 16:35:27)

【薄熙来】:
  我们1月1日和6月1日的两次加征关税政策,从总体上来说是继续实行的,我们排除的只是那些已经受限的产品。
(2005-05-30 16:38:34)

【人民日报记者】:
  我们注意到除了美欧之外,还有一些发展中国家也开始酝酿对中国纺织品设限,而且他们对于中国纺织品的出口规模和竞争力也表现出忧虑,对这个问题您是如何看待的?另外,我们最近也采访了一些企业和一些热心读者,我们收集了一些看法,比较集中的看法是:既然美欧的做法是明显背离了WTO的原则,而且对国内产品产生了这么严重的影响,中方到现在为什么不理直气壮的到WTO申诉,或者采取相应的报复措施,请您解释一下。谢谢。
(2005-05-30 16:39:21)

【薄熙来】:
  谢谢。关于发展中国家的问题,我想说,中国政府一直高度重视发展中国家的经济发展。发展中国家也是我们的老朋友,中国到现在也仍然是发展中国家,我们的人均GDP也刚刚过了1200美元,中国的中部、西部还有很多低收入的人群。所以,从感情上,我们对发展中国家的需求和他们所遇到的困难深表理解。
(2005-05-30 16:40:17)

【薄熙来】:
  对于发展中国家的纺织产业,我们实际上采取了一些非常现实的措施,比如说从今年1月19日,我国对来自25个非洲最不发达国家进口的商品实施了免关税的特惠措施。而且在这段时间里,我们给一些最不发达的国家免除了政府间的债务。同时,我们还正在鼓励中国的纺织企业走出去,和发展中国家一道来改造他们旧有的纺织企业,提升他们的技术水平和竞争能力。(2005-05-30 16:41:10)

【薄熙来】:
  第二个问题,我也确实听到中国纺织企业,包括中国纺织协会反映了很多企业的呼声,要求中国政府在中国企业遭到不公正待遇的时候,采取贸易报复措施。我认为,中国企业深感压力,而且表达他们对压力下的不满情绪是可以理解的。但是,我们不一定讲报复,因为中美、中欧经贸合作的领域非常宽广。我相信,一个健康的贸易环境,对中欧、中美双方的关系,对人民都是有好处的。
(2005-05-30 16:42:00)

【薄熙来】:
  事实上,在中国加入WTO以后,中欧、中美双方通过协商、磋商,已经解决了大量的贸易争端。当然,中国的传统是提倡“和为贵”,做生意就要和气生财,我们也希望和美国、和欧洲的商人能够和气相处,能够共同解决现在的贸易问题。当然,我们也看到一些国家在遇到贸易争端的时候,不是采取妥善解决问题的办法,而是动辄设限,这种作风无益于解决贸易争端。在通常的贸易活动中,确实有些国家喜欢自己说了算,打了几十年的贸易仗,也积累了不少的经验,而且自我感觉很好。其实这种作风有损于他们的形象,也有失公平贸易的体面。遇到这些人怎么办呢?因为中国是礼仪之邦,我们一般的做法是首先劝他们别这么办,要多听大家的意见。
(2005-05-30 16:45:05)

【薄熙来】:
  第三个问题,你提到要诉诸WTO的争端解决机制,我想讲几个观点。第一,这是我们的权利,该用的时候就应该用;第二,双边的谈判有双边谈判的好处,但是也容易形成公说公有理,婆说婆有理,没有裁判员,最后没有解决。所以,光一对一不行,有时候在大的场合下让大家评个理是有效的。我还想指出,对中国的产品设限,不仅违反WTO,而且是歧视性的,我们坚决反对。当然,做不做、何时做,选择的权利在中方。
(2005-05-30 16:45:18)

【挪威国家广播电视台记者】:
  我也和中国一些纺织业界的人士进行过沟通和交流,我给他们两种可能的选择,一个是接受欧盟和美国方面对他们的出口征收一些惩罚性的关税,另一个是也许中国政府可以考虑人民币升值,在两者之间,他们更倾向于选择第一种。您作为政府一方,是否同意他们的选择?实际上我所说的惩罚性的关税,就是欧盟和美国方面针对中国的纺织产品要征收高关税,或者相关数量上的限制,比如说配额,是这种惩罚性的措施。
(2005-05-30 16:46:11)

【薄熙来】:
  刚才你提到,对中国征收惩罚性的关税,大概就是那个很有名的舒默提案。对于如何来解决中欧、中美之间的贸易摩擦,我们要观察欧美在这个方面采取的态度。我们的原则其实很简单,第一,我们必须按照WTO的规则来办,WTO赋予中国的权利,我们不能放弃。所以,我们不会接受像欧盟的行动指南和美国的综合安排的做法。再一个,我们必须尽其所能来维护中国企业的利益。
(2005-05-30 16:47:40)

【薄熙来】:
  至于你提到的惩罚性的关税,又回到了我们在招待会上的第一个问题,就是欧盟、美国会不会凭借242条款,对中国的纺织品采取设限的办法。我想跟你说,242条款首先我们认为是歧视性的,尽管中国在加入WTO的时候,我们作为让步同意了这个条款。但是,这是中国加入WTO,有进有退权利义务的平衡。究其242条款的本质,因为它专门针对中国,所以我们认为又是歧视性的。但是,我们承认242条款的法律效力,我们所要求的是要严格按照242条款所规定的内容和程序来进行讨论。
(2005-05-30 16:49:13)

【薄熙来】:
  我总的看法是,现在欧美依据242对中国的产品实施设限,它的依据是不充分的,时间是过于短暂的,判断是不科学的,有很大程度上是给中国的纺织品出口打印象分,是拍脑瓜做决策,是凭感觉,有随意性。所以,在这种情况下,我们当然要和欧美进行认真的磋商,来表达我们的意见。
(2005-05-30 16:51:09)

【薄熙来】:
  刚才我讲过,人民币的问题,由周小川行长来回答是最适合的人选。实际上,我认为在人民币的问题上,欧美也有很多误解。同时在欧美经济界里,对人民币是否升值也有明显的、不同的意见。我想中国政府在做出任何重大决策的时候,首先是考虑中国经济发展的需要和可能,同时我们作为一个负责任的贸易大国,也要顾及全球金融贸易的稳定发展。
(2005-05-30 16:52:19)

【CCTV中国财经报道记者】:
  第一个问题,针对美国和欧盟对中国纺织品出口设限,我们国家已经自主地采取了加征关税等措施,来提高企业出口的门槛。那么一些企业会受到一些影响,现在企业最担心的是,如果类似的事情再发生,还会不会出现类似的措施,这样对企业是很不利的。第二个问题,81项纺织品取消了征税,请问不包括哪些产品?
(2005-05-30 16:53:01)

【薄熙来】:
  关于还有哪些加征出口关税的品种保留下来,你可以查一查中国商务部的网站,上面已经公布了。未来会不会对中国的纺织企业再设置新的办法,来控制他们的对外出口,我想,从今年年初我们采取的一系列的措施来看,并不是中国政府希望给我们的纺织企业增加什么负担,这点要讲清楚。事实上,因为我们就处在这样一个国际经贸环境中,中国政府权衡利弊,希望给我们的纺织企业创造一个最好的发展空间,希望我们的纺织品有序出口,也是希望能够规避我们纺织企业在国际市场上的风险。因为事实上确实在世界贸易体系里边还存在着一些歧视性的东西,还有一些制约我们的因素,这是历史形成的,我们必须非常理智地来面对这样一个国际经贸的环境。
(2005-05-30 16:56:36)

【薄熙来】:
  我们希望为我们的企业找到一条风险比较小,发展比较平稳的贸易出路,所以中国政府非常负责任的采取了上述一些措施。而且这些措施应该讲,对于促使我们企业改造自身的结构,转变贸易的增长方式也是有利的。因为我们的企业也要与时俱进,不能老生产那些低值的产品。至于是不是还会采取什么新的措施,实际上大家要有一个应对的准备,国际经贸就是这样,一浪过了还有一浪,我们需要以平常心来应对这种贸易环境。
(2005-05-30 16:57:56)

【薄熙来】:
  总的来说,中国政府对我们的企业是非常关切的,而且我们的纺织企业反过来讲,对中国的出口、就业、创汇,也是立了功劳的。所以,每每谈及纺织业发展的时候,我国领导人都给予高度评价。而且作为劳动密集型的产业,它创造了很多的价值,也创造了很多的就业机会,我们对纺织企业的全体职工表示由衷的敬意。同时,作为商务部,作为一个服务型的政府,我们将更好地为纺织企业来服好务。谢谢。
(2005-05-30 16:58:47)

【薄熙来】:
  在招待会的最后,我想再跟大家讲一个观点,就是今天我讲的这些观点,并不是只有中国人这么看问题,很多主持公道的、客观的一些外国朋友也这么看。比如说即将就任的下一届世贸总干事长拉米先生就讲,这项条款是有违公平自由贸易原则的,因为世贸原则不能特别针对某一国家。现在的纺织品发生的事情不是突然发生和无法预测的。国际货币基金组织总裁拉托说:“贸易规则必须透明化,不应该在贸易关系中抱有偏见。”WTO总干事素帕猜讲:对中国树立保护主义之墙将是一个错误的举动,仅凭几个月的数字,无法清楚地表明它给贸易带来的影响。美国《国际先驱论坛报》里的文章说:“中国的商品份额之所以增长,是因为美国人和欧洲人希望它增长。”
(2005-05-30 17:00:22)

【薄熙来】:
  瑞典贸易大臣也警告说:“一种日益强大的而且令人担忧的贸易保护主义的趋势,可能损害欧盟的竞争力。”英国非政府援助机构施乐会这样讲,欧洲曾经有10年的时间来准备应对这一贸易规则的变化,但他们决定什么也不做,欧洲将绝大多数配额保持到最后一分钟,而不是有序地、分阶段的减少,中国不应因此而受到惩罚。美国纺织和鞋业协会主席艾文森女士说,中国价廉物美的纺织品给美国纺织品流通领域增加了几十万人的就业机会,这个数字并不比40年前美国纺织业黄金时期的就业人数低。《华盛顿邮报》和《华尔街日报》指出,美国政府没有理由和必要保护国内垂死挣扎的纺织品工业。
(2005-05-30 17:05:23)

【薄熙来】:
  IMF总裁拉托还说过,试图用贸易限制来纠正全球贸易不平衡是一个重大的错误。美国纺织服装进口商协会表示,我们希望中国政府能够向WTO提起诉讼。欧洲布鲁塞尔外贸联合会主席讲,中国加征出口关税,我们就不得不直接加价。中国很熟悉的一个人,叫彭定康,他最近认为,欧美完全没有理由对中国的纺织品设限。
(2005-05-30 17:07:33)

【薄熙来】:
  另外,我还特别想跟大家讲,欧盟贸易委员曼德尔森先生讲了几句话,我认为是比较客观的。中国纺织品出口快速上升,不是中国的错误,中国考虑到一些脆弱国家的利益,表现了负责的态度。中国对世界经济的增长做出了贡献,对欧洲人来说是很有好处的。中国地位的提升可能会使某些人感到痛苦,但从长计议,这种压力是建设性的,是积极的压力。我们需要更加明智,而不是维持现状,依赖保护主义。同时,我也想讲,美国去年也有几个好的表现,USTR三次否定了对中国实施贸易保护主义的提案。布什总统也亲自否定了两次对中国实施贸易限制的提案。
(2005-05-30 17:07:57)

【薄熙来】:
  我讲这些事情是想向世界的媒体谈一个看法,就是中国是一个实事求是的国家,我们会非常客观的评价欧美对我们的每一个举动,你们做的正确的,我们就要肯定,你们做得不正确的,我们就批评。我们希望通过开展正确的批评和自我批评,来解决我们面临的贸易摩擦。最后我想说,我们讨论了一下午,其实就集中在纺织品贸易,这个问题事实上对于美国、对于欧盟也重要,但是也不是特别重要,在中美、中欧贸易中所占的份量和比重是非常有限的,不足十分之一。
(2005-05-30 17:10:38)

【薄熙来】:
  而事实上,中美、中欧之间已经实现了产业上的分工,欧美是搞高端、中端的,我们是搞低端的,大家应该各得其所,不要为低端的纺织产品而争吵不休。欧美应该用更多的精力去抓高新技术,去抓空客和波音飞机,而不要在袜子、裤子这些问题上跟我们闲扯。如果只是集中于这些小的产品、低值的产品,会妨碍欧美的经济专家、企业家抓大事。谢谢。
(2005-05-30 17:12:22)

【郭卫民】:
  今天的新闻发布会到此结束,谢谢薄部长,谢谢各位。
(2005-05-30 17:12:43)


Print

Textile

China opposes U.S. clothing safeguardsSat May 14, 2005 08:58 AM ET By John Ruwitch
BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Saturday it opposed a U.S. decision to restrict booming imports of Chinese trousers, shirts and underwear, saying the move violates World Trade Organization agreements and urged Washington to reconsider.
China reserved the right to adopt measures within the WTO framework, Commerce Ministry spokesman Chong Quan was quoted as saying in a statement on the ministry's Web site, www.mofcom.gov.cn. It gave no details.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said on Friday the United States would restrict imports of the three kinds of clothing from China that have surged dramatically since the beginning of the year unless the two countries work out a compromise.
The decision flowed from three investigations the Bush administration launched last month, and Gutierrez said it showed the administration's commitment to leveling the playing field for U.S. industries.
Preliminary U.S. figures suggest imports of cotton trousers from China have increased around 15 fold in just four months.
The European Union is also considering curbs on Chinese clothing imports following dramatic increases.
But Chong said China's exports of the three kinds of clothing have not caused disorder in the U.S. market and the U.S. move "violates WTO agreements on textiles and clothing and deviates from the spirit of the WTO's advocacy of trade liberalisation."
The decision would damage the interests of Chinese companies and "seriously blunt the confidence of Chinese people and industries in the international trade environment since China jonied the WTO," he said.
"The Chinese government reserves the right within the framework of the WTO to take further measures," he said without elaborating.
He urged the United States to "correct its erroneous measure."
QUOTAS
The quotas on billions of dollars of clothing imports will take effect from the day that the United States formally requests consultations with China, which is expected by the end of this month.
Washington and Beijing will have 120 days to find a solution. If the talks fail, the quotas will remain in place until the end of the year, the Commerce Department said.
The Bush administration has been under tremendous pressure to curb a trade deficit with China that reached a record $162 billion last year.
A WTO rule allows members to restrict growth in clothing imports from China to 7.5 percent above the previous year's level when there is a surge. Beijing accepted that as a term of its entry into the WTO.
Domestic textile groups hailed the Bush administration decision, which they have urged for months, but U.S. retailers condemned the action and accused the Bush administration of ignoring their concerns.
The government is also considering action in other clothing categories following petitions filed by the industry. It will make a decision in those cases "as expeditiously as possible," the Commerce Department said.
Preliminary U.S. data showed a 1,505 percent increase in imports of cotton trousers from China in the first four months of 2005, and increases of 1,346 percent for cotton shirts and 347 percent for cotton and synthetic underwear.
The sharp increases followed the end of a decades-old international quota system on Jan. 1, which allowed China to edge out other foreign suppliers. (Additional reporting by Doug Palmer in Washington)
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