China's textile exports stay strong despite falling US orders
Breaking it down, clothing exports dipped by 0.2% to $73.5 billion, while textile exports rose by 1.8% to $70.52 billion. However, data from the China National Textile and Apparel Council (CNTAC) shows more variation when viewed month by month.
In March, American buyers rushed to place early orders in anticipation of potential tariffs. This led to a 16.5% jump in textile exports and a 9.3% increase in clothing exports. The Trump administration formally announced the new tariffs on April 2.
By April, clothing exports had slipped 0.5% year-over-year, while textile exports rose 3.4%. The half-year closed with a 1.1% increase in clothing exports and a 1.6% decline in textiles in June.
Between April and May, Chinese textile and clothing exports to the U.S. fell by 20%. However, stronger demand from the European Union, Japan and South Korea helped balance out the losses.
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