China sees EU textile row as passing

BEIJING – A dispute between China and the European Union over China’s surging textile exports is a temporary difficulty that will not mar burgeoning commercial ties, Premier Wen Jiabao said yesterday.

Wen told a Sino-EU business conference that negotiators would sooner or later find a formula to unblock millions of Chinese garments that have piled up at EU borders because they exceed import quotas. “I believe as long as the two sides respect each other in an equal way, we will eventually find a solution which is beneficial to both sides,” Wen said.An EU official close to the talks said earlier that a deal had in fact already been reached.Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai said the two sides were close to agreeing but nothing had been signed.Wen described the dispute as a temporary, partial difficulty.”It should not have a negative impact on the very sound, very steady and fast-growing commercial links between China and the EU,” Wen said.-Nampa-Reuters”I believe as long as the two sides respect each other in an equal way, we will eventually find a solution which is beneficial to both sides,” Wen said.An EU official close to the talks said earlier that a deal had in fact already been reached.Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai said the two sides were close to agreeing but nothing had been signed.Wen described the dispute as a temporary, partial difficulty.”It should not have a negative impact on the very sound, very steady and fast-growing commercial links between China and the EU,” Wen said.-Nampa-Reuters