In a bold move, the United States has raised an alarm about China's unfair trade practices affecting the textile and apparel industry, highlighting a worrying trend of non-market policies.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has pointed to the escalating tension for American manufacturers, revealing that 28 factories have closed in just 22 months. In 2024 alone, the U.S. imported a staggering $79.3 billion worth of apparel, with 21% sourced from China.

In a spirited defense of American textile manufacturers, the USTR took to social media on National Textile Day, stating, "USTR is calling out the unfair trade practices undermining our textiles and apparel sector. China's non-market strategies grant domestic manufacturers an unfair edge, allowing them to sell their products at unnaturally low prices. This has severely impacted U.S. textile manufacturers, leading to numerous plant closures."

Furthermore, USTR emphasized the alarming growth of Chinese e-commerce, which accounted for over 30% of daily minor shipments into the United States, inundating the market with inexpensive apparel while sidestepping tariffs and evading trade regulations. This flood of cheap products is particularly wreaking havoc on local industries, especially in the Southeastern U.S.

The overall goods trade between the U.S. and China reached an estimated $582.4 billion in 2024. Despite American goods exports to China totaling $143.5 billion, it was a 2.9% decline from the previous year. Conversely, imports from China surged by 2.8% to $438.9 billion, further widening the trade deficit with China to a staggering $295.4 billion, a 5.8% increase over 2023.

As the battle over trade practices intensifies, the U.S. is clearly signaling that it will not stand idly by while its industries suffer at the hands of unfair competition.