April 16, 2002	Tuesday	Safar 2, 1423

BEIJING, April 15: Pakistan and China can join hands to further develop their textile industry, increase export of garments and other cotton- based products, said a senior member of China’s Textile Association.

In an interview here on Monday, he lauded Pakistan’s potential in the textile field and said “we are prepared to share our experience and expertise to further enhance production and export of garment products.”

He aid Pakistani firms are allowed to divert their export to Chinese growing textile market, by establishing business linkage with the Chinese business and fashion houses and meeting necessary legal requirements. There is also a need to launch a coordinated marketing offensive by participating in the exhibitions that are being held time to time in major cities.

The Chinese textile companies have also shown keen interest in forging linkage with their Pakistani counterparts to jointly explore the potential of world textile market that has arisen to about 1.8 trillion dollars.

Several Chinese delegations have visited Pakistan over the past few months in order to explore the possibility of undertaking joint ventures.

According to the sources, Pakistan can develop partnership in the export business by exploring the potential in garments industry, using Chinese technology and experience.

Pakistan textile, garments and hosiery have already developed good market and business prospects in Europe and the US. There is need to diversify their export to other countries, like China, which offer more business opportunities.

Pakistani companies can contact the China Textile Association and manufacturers to establish business relations. Many textile companies of the developing countries have opened up their representative offices in Western Chinese coastal cities like Shanghai, Dalian, and Canton to take full advantage of growing textile market in China.

In continuing implementing the ‘go global strategy,’ China has decided to encourage and help eligible enterprises to set up factories and undertake contracted projects outside China, particularly in neighbouring countries, in order to increase the export of technology, equipment and materials, said Du Yuzhou, President of the China National Federation of Textile Industry.

China will also import advanced technologies, key equipments, and raw and semi-finished materials that are in short supply in the country.

Beginning January 1, 2002, China’s general tariff level has dropped from 15.3 per cent to 12 per cent, and the reduction involved more than 5,300 taxable items. The domestic garment market blossomed last year when the country produced 7.8 billion pieces of clothing, a 13.2 per cent increase year-on-year that squeezed China into the queue as one of the world’s leading garment producing, exporting and consuming nations.

As the world’s largest clothes manufacturer and exporter, China garment industry has a great potential for development, Du Yuzhou added.

In the past 20 years, garment production in China has increased 15 fold, with an annual growth rate of 14.4 per cent. Currently, 45 garment businesses in China make a profit of 60,000 dollar every minute.

Wang Qing, vice President of the China Garment Association and President of China Garment designers Association, said China, enjoying abundant yet low-cost human resources, has established a quality-guaranteed processing system for ready-made clothes.

China’s entry into the WTO will help consolidate and strengthen as the top garment-processing centre in the world. However, China’s processing industry does not reach international standards of top ready-made garments.—APP