WASHINGTON, Nov 7: The US government said on Monday it was still working to finalize a broad textiles agreement with China after a Chinese industry official said a tentative deal had been reached.

“Our teams continue to work through remaining issues. We still have some outstanding issues, but we are hopeful those areas can be resolved,” said Neena Moorjani, a spokeswoman for US Trade Representative Rob Portman.

She reiterated Portman’s remark made last Thursday that the two sides were “close” to an agreement that would regulate soaring levels of Chinese textile shipments and so ease a major headache in Sino-US trade.

“However, nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. There is not a final deal,” the spokeswoman said in a statement.

In Beijing, a major Chinese textile association said Monday that the main elements of a textiles agreement had been agreed.

“Both the US and China have compromised in reaching this textile pact,” China National Textile and Apparel Council spokesman Sun Huaibin said.

The Chinese group’s statement echoed similar reports in the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal over the weekend.

The Washington Post said the agreement was likely to be signed by US Trade Representative Rob Portman and Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai when Portman visits Beijing on November 14.—AFP