South Africas clothing industry will not be protected from surging Chinese imports.Trade Unions and manufacturers have urged Pretoria to invoke safeguard measures.The government believes industry should instead be more dynamic.The South African government has told industry and trade unions it will not be pursuing safeguard measures to limit cheap surging Chinese apparel imports.Dialogue with China is preferable to confrotation,Trade and Industry minister ,Mandisi Mpahlwa told industry organisations
.Negotiations with China have taken place and "a high level of progress has been achieved,"he said.Mr Mpahlwa advised of other available options such as lowering import tariffs on yarn and raw material and urged the apparel industry to move away from confrontation.Pretorias stance with China has not gone down well with manufacturers and trade unions,critical of the governments lack of concrete action.Government has been criticised over negotiating a PTA with China despite SAs R16 billion trade deficit with the country.China was not being fair to South African industry and workers according to head of the congress of South African Trade Unions(COSATU).Manufacturers have also accused the government of being too soft on China and doing little to protect jobs and factories.
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| Posted : 12/14/2005 |
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