WASHINGTON - The Bush administration Wednesday reported progress in talks this week with China on an agreement to limit the amount of Chinese clothing and textile products coming into the United States.
The negotiations in Washington from Sunday through Tuesday produced ``substantial progress on a large number of issues,'' David Spooner, the administration's special textile negotiator said in a statement. ``We look forward to meeting again soon.''
In contrast, after the previous negotiating session in Beijing, the U.S. side expressed disappointment at a failure to narrow differences.
The latest round, the fifth since August, was held without advance public notice.
U.S. textile industry officials said Wednesday that they had not received any briefings on this week's talks; some viewed the secrecy as a hopeful sign the two sides might be nearing a deal.
``From my experience in Washington, the quieter things are, that means progress is being made or they are close to a resolution,'' said Lloyd Wood, a spokesman for the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition.
The U.S. and Chinese governments are trying for a comprehensive agreement to impose limits on Chinese imports in categories of U.S.-made clothing and textiles that have been disrupted by a surge in Chinese imports since global quotas were lifted Jan. 1.
The U.S. industry contends the Chinese import surge has cost thousands of U.S. jobs and forced 19 textile plants to close just since the first of this year.
