LONDON, May 4 (UPI) -- Both leading candidates to run the World Trade Organization are warning U.S. and European officials against restricting Chinese textile imports.
Pascal Lamy of France, a former European Union trade commissioner, and Carlos Perez del Castillo of Uruguay said western nations have had 10 years to prepare for the lifting of quotas on Chinese textile imports and to create emergency quotas on such imports would be hypocritical, the Financial Times said Wednesday.
"Why are some politicians now not recognizing that fact?" asked Lamy, who may have an edge over del Castillo. "I can see two explanations: either their memory is too short or they know that perfectly well and pretend to be surprised, which is frankly a sign of hypocrisy."
Del Castillo also said he was against imposing export restrictions rather than adjusting to China's improved efficiency.
