Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-07-07-Speech-4-051"
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"en.20050707.5.4-051"2
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"Mr President, over the last three years alone, over USD 20 billion was invested in China’s textile and clothing industry, much of it even coming from our own industries, and its capacity increased by 50%. What that means is that in China, every year, 20 billion articles of clothing are produced, equivalent to four items for every human being on this earth. That sums up its capacity.
Let me now pass on to the social aspect. Women working in China’s textiles industry have a place right at the bottom of the social scale, many earning less than a dollar a day and, moreover, without any rights. Even so, China’s share in global textile markets is soaring. The poorest states in the world are now losing even their textile industries. Africa, stricken with Aids, is losing thousands of jobs a day. The European Union is currently losing a thousand a day. Around the world, over 30 million jobs are under threat of relocation, not to mention the 30 million jobs accounted for by sub-contractors. This is more than just a fundamental change in the world of work; it is a catastrophe.
Things have come to such a pass in China that the country is competing with itself; social security rules are being cut back and businesses are being discharged from their social obligations. While we talk about fair trade and core labour standards, capital can do as it pleases.
The one thing I ask of you, Commissioner, is that you raise the issue of social security at the forthcoming WTO negotiations in Hong Kong. Saying ‘yes’ to liberalisation means that the ‘how’ has to be considered as well. This I say in my capacity as Vice-President of the International Textile, Clothing and Leather Workers' Association, whose members – over 10 million in 110 countries around the world – are devastated by this catastrophe."@en1
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