Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-09-29-Speech-4-154"
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"en.20050929.21.4-154"2
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"Mr President, it must be very difficult for the Commissioner to come here with a brief that he may not know quite as much about as some of the speakers. At this point I should like to add our disappointment that Mr Mandelson decided not to come and also not to inform the Committee on International Trade that he was not going to attend. It would have been polite. I understand the reasons why and would have accepted them had he at least informed us.
Today, we heard the Commissioner again trying to explain the inexplicable, claiming that his actions with regard to the reinstatement of the Chinese textile quotas were carried out diligently and transparently and that the difficulties arising from this nonsense of a compromise were caused by unforeseen circumstances.
I wrote to the Commissioner in June prior to the Shanghai Agreement, asking him how his proposals would square the circle of the seemingly insatiable demand for Chinese textiles in Europe. His response was to claim that he had found a once-and-for-all agreement. I do not underestimate the scale of the tasks that the Commissioner faces with China. It is a
problem and there is no easy solution. However, I believe that fudges of the kind perpetrated in June and again at the beginning of this month will not solve the underlying potential difficulties we have with our trade with China.
There are many aspects of the Lucas report with which I do not agree. However, in recognising that in years to come we will have the same problem with other industries that we have with the textile industry, I believe she is extremely and entirely accurate. Saying that we can move up the value-added chain will only work for so long. China is producing two million graduates a year. If you believe that these young people will continue to make cheap t-shirts and bras, then you are slightly misinformed. We should view the growth of China as an opportunity and not a threat, and we look forward to working closely with China.
I must add one last point: selling China arms to balance our trade deficit is not the answer. I hope the Commissioner will have an answer for that. Geopolitical concerns over Taiwan and international relations should only make short-term profits. I just wondered what your position is on the sale of arms."@en1
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