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WASHINGTON, Apr 5 (Reuters): The Bush administration took the first step yesterday toward restricting imports of low-priced pants, shirts and underwear from China in response to pressure from the US textile industry.
In a rare move that could boost support for other White House trade priorities, US trade officials said they would "self-initiate" investigations into whether to curb the imports, which surged by 300 to 1500 per cent in the first three months of 2005, according to preliminary data.
"This decision is the first step in a process to determine whether the US market for these products is being disrupted and whether China is playing a role in that disruption," Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said in a statement.
Textile groups and their allies in Congress have been pressuring the Bush administration to slap emergency curbs on China, which they say is poised to overrun the US market following the end of a decades-old quota system on Jan 1.
Blair pledges to ensure economic stability
LONDON, (Xinhuanet): British Prime Minister Tony Blair said here Tuesday that his "mission for the third term" was to ensure economic stability and public service investment.
He made the remarks to reporters at Downing Street after announcing the election date slated for May 5.
"I've just been to the Buckingham Palace to ask the queen to dissolve the parliament. There will be a general election in Britain on May 5," Blair said.
Blair's call on the Queen is a procedural step to call a new election. As a rule, the parliament is dissolved one week after the Queen's approval.
The announcement, which was made 24 hours later than expected, will kick off serious election campaigns nationwide among major political parties-the Labour, the Conservative and the Liberal Democratic, among others.
Elections for 34 county councils across England, three unitary authorities, Northern Ireland will also take place on the same day.
Pakistan to face major oil, gas shortage by 2010
ISLAMABAD, (Reuters): Pakistan will face a major shortage of oil and gas, source of 80 per cent of its energy needs, by 2010 unless its steps up exploration activity, a senior government official said yesterday.
At a projected annual economic growth of seven per cent, Pakistan would face a shortage of about 20 million tonnes of oil equivalent in five years time, jumping to 100 million tonnes by 2025, said Ahmed Waqar, secretary to the ministry of petroleum and natural resources.
Pakistan produces 3.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day, which meets 50 per cent of Pakistan's total energy needs.
Officials say it has four options-gas pipelines from Qatar, Turkmenistan, or Iran, or the import of liquefied natural gas from Qatar-to meet growing demand as well as a speeding up of domestic exploration.
S Korea for bolstering military co-op with China
SEOUL, (AP): South Korea is planning to bolster its military cooperation with China, local media Tuesday quoted the South Korean defense minister as saying, signaling a key shift in alliances in northeast Asia.
Although China is the last major ally of the South's rival, North Korea, President Roh Moo-hyun has in recent weeks stressed that his country should help balance the region - implying a shift from Seoul's traditional alliance with the United States and Japan toward a neutral position among regional powers, which include China and Russia.
Boycott of Japanese goods to hurt China economy
TOKYO, (AP): A boycott of Japanese goods advocated by a group of Chinese retailers would hurt China's economy and would probably not be tolerated by Beijing, Japan's top government spokesman said Tuesday.
The China Chain Store and Franchise Association has called on its members to boycott Japanese goods as a protest against Japanese textbooks which it says misrepresent Japan's role in World War II.
The trade association said in a notice on its Web site that any Chinese with "patriotic spirit and conscience" will support the boycott.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda said he didn't think a boycott would happen.
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