Announcement of Import Limits and Transshipment Charges for Certain Cotton, Wool, Man-Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable Fiber Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in the People's Republic of China

COMMITTEE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXTILE AGREEMENTS

Announcement of Import Limits and Transshipment Charges for

Certain Cotton, Wool, Man-Made Fiber, Silk Blend and Other Vegetable

Fiber Textiles and Textile Products Produced or Manufactured in the

People's Republic of China

November 30, 1998.

AGENCY: Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements (CITA).

ACTION: Issuing a directive to the Commissioner of Customs establishing

1999 limits and charging transshipments to the 1999 limits.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Janet Heinzen, International Trade

Specialist, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of

Commerce, (202) 482-4212. For information on the quota status of these

limits, refer to the Quota Status Reports posted on the bulletin boards

of each Customs port, call (202) 927-5850, or refer to the U.S. Customs

website at http://www.customs.ustreas.gov. For information on embargoes

and quota re-openings, call (202) 482-3715.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority: Section 204 of the Agricultural Act of 1956, as

amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); Executive Order 11651 of March 3, 1972, as

amended.

The Bilateral Textile Memorandum of Understanding dated February 1,

1997 between the Governments of the United States and the People's

Republic of China establishes limits for textiles and textile products,

produced or manufactured in China and exported during the period

beginning on January 1, 1999 and extending through December 31, 1999.

A notice published in the Federal Register on May 7, 1998 (63 FR

25202) announced that transshipment charges would be made to the 1999

quota year for Categories 331, 341, 347/348, 351, 352, 631, 636, 641,

647, 649 and 652, pursuant to the February 1, 1997 MOU and in

accordance with a letter to the Government of the People's Republic of

China dated May 4, 1998.

In the letter published below, the Chairman of CITA directs the

Commissioner of Customs to establish the limits for 1999 and to charge

transshipments to the aforementioned categories for 1999.

The 1999 limits may be revised if China becomes a member of the

World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO

agreement to China.

A description of the textile and apparel categories in terms of HTS

numbers is available in the CORRELATION: Textile and Apparel Categories

with the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (see Federal

Register notice 62 FR 66057, published on December 17, 1997).

Information regarding the 1999 CORRELATION will be published in the

Federal Register at a later date.

Troy H. Cribb,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements

November 30, 1998.

Commissioner of Customs,

Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20229.

Dear Commissioner: Pursuant to section 204 of the Agricultural

Act of 1956, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1854); Executive Order 11651 of

March 3, 1972, as amended; and a Memorandum of Understanding dated

February 1, 1997 between the Governments of the United States and

the People's Republic of China, you are directed to prohibit,

effective on January 1, 1999, entry into the United States for

consumption and withdrawal from warehouse for consumption of cotton,

wool, man-made fiber, silk blend and other vegetable fiber textiles

and textile products in the following categories, produced or

manufactured in China and exported during the twelve-month period

beginning on January 1, 1999 and extending through December 31,

1999, in excess of the following levels of restraint:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Category Twelve-month limit

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Group I

200, 218, 219, 226, 237, 239, 300/301, 313- 1,474,997,500 square meters

315, 317/326, 331, 333-336, 338/339, 340- equivalent.

342, 345, 347/348, 350-352, 359-C \1\,

359-V \2\, 360-363, 369-D \3\, 369-H \4\,

369-L \5\, 410, 433-436, 438, 440, 442-

444, 445/446, 447, 448, 607, 611, 613-

615, 617, 631, 633-636, 638/639, 640-643,

644/844, 645/646, 647-652, 659-C \6\, 659-

H \7\, 659-S \8\, 666, 669-P \9\, 670-L

\10\, 831, 833, 835, 836, 840, 842 and

845-847, as a group.

[[Page 67047]]

Sublevels in Group I

200....................................... 738,030 kilograms.

218....................................... 11,375,249 square meters.

219....................................... 2,428,588 square meters.

226....................................... 11,027,555 square meters.

237....................................... 2,021,092 dozen.

239....................................... 3,078,460 kilograms.

300/301................................... 2,287,697 kilograms.

313....................................... 42,178,479 square meters.

314....................................... 49,663,934 square meters.

315....................................... 133,759,386 square meters.

317/326................................... 21,574,143 square meters of

which not more than

4,127,558 square meters

shall be in Category 326.

331....................................... 5,236,526 dozen pairs.

333....................................... 99,130 dozen.

334....................................... 325,800 dozen.

335....................................... 388,299 dozen.

336....................................... 173,920 dozen.

338/339................................... 2,333,946 dozen of which not

more than 1,771,721 dozen

shall be in Categories 338-

S/339-S \11\.

340....................................... 793,325 dozen of which not

more than 396,662 dozen

shall be in Category 340-Z

\12\.

341....................................... 687,410 dozen of which not

more than 412,447 dozen

shall be in Category 341-Y

\13\.

342....................................... 269,265 dozen.

345....................................... 129,032 dozen.

347/348................................... 2,346,533 dozen.

350....................................... 168,670 dozen.

351....................................... 563,860 dozen.

352....................................... 1,645,485 dozen.

359-C..................................... 611,569 kilograms.

359-V..................................... 890,996 kilograms.

360....................................... 7,841,685 numbers of which

not more than 5,348,786

numbers shall be in

Category 360-P \14\.

361....................................... 4,321,525 numbers.

362....................................... 7,248,200 numbers.

363....................................... 21,618,724 numbers.

369-D..................................... 4,755,168 kilograms.

369-H..................................... 5,032,562 kilograms.

369-L..................................... 3,355,586 kilograms.

410....................................... 999,047 square meters of

which not more than 800,845

square meters shall be in

Category 410-A \15\ and not

more than 800,845 square

meters shall be in Category

410-B \16\.

433....................................... 20,850 dozen.

434....................................... 13,332 dozen.

435....................................... 24,487 dozen.

436....................................... 15,086 dozen.

438....................................... 26,399 dozen.

440....................................... 37,715 dozen of which not

more than 21,551 dozen

shall be in Category 440-M

\17\.

442....................................... 39,924 dozen.

443....................................... 128,982 numbers.

444....................................... 206,916 numbers.

445/446................................... 288,045 dozen.

447....................................... 70,617 dozen.

448....................................... 22,277 dozen.

607....................................... 3,272,155 kilograms.

611....................................... 5,425,251 square meters.

613....................................... 7,676,725 square meters.

614....................................... 12,063,423 square meters.

615....................................... 25,113,855 square meters.

617....................................... 17,546,797 square meters.

631....................................... 1,313,751 dozen pairs.

633....................................... 57,906 dozen.

634....................................... 629,976 dozen.

635....................................... 664,515 dozen.

636....................................... 552,517 dozen.

638/639................................... 2,436,841 dozen.

640....................................... 1,386,568 dozen.

641....................................... 1,313,487 dozen.

642....................................... 339,479 dozen.

643....................................... 517,491 numbers.

644/844................................... 3,686,959 numbers.

645/646................................... 825,078 dozen.

647....................................... 1,570,813 dozen.

648....................................... 1,122,336 dozen.

649....................................... 957,686 dozen.

650....................................... 117,506 dozen.

651....................................... 781,504 dozen of which not

more than 137,589 dozen

shall be in Category 651-B

\18\.

652....................................... 2,801,039 dozen.

659-C..................................... 413,736 kilograms.

659-H..................................... 2,868,694 kilograms.

659-S..................................... 624,909 kilograms.

666....................................... 3,583,233 kilograms of which

not more than 1,287,016

kilograms shall be in

Category 666-C \19\.

669-P..................................... 2,039,720 kilograms.

670-L..................................... 16,233,984 kilograms.

831....................................... 567,873 dozen pair.

833....................................... 29,199 dozen.

835....................................... 123,582 dozen.

836....................................... 284,329 dozen.

840....................................... 480,737 dozen.

842....................................... 271,439 dozen.

845....................................... 2,459,489 dozen.

846....................................... 179,107 dozen.

847....................................... 1,259,660 dozen.

Group II

330, 332, 349, 353, 354, 359-O \20\, 431, 124,802,482 square meters

432, 439, 459, 630, 632, 653, 654 and 659- equivalent.

O \21\, as a group.

Group III

201, 220, 222, 223, 224-V \22\, 224-O 258,883,627 square meters

\23\, 225, 227, 229, 369-O \24\, 400, equivalent.

414, 464, 465, 469, 600, 603, 604-O \25\,

606, 618-622, 624-629, 665, 669-O \26\

and 670-O \27\, as a group.

Sublevel in Group III

224-V..................................... 3,653,945 square meters.

225....................................... 6,303,750 square meters.

Group IV

832, 834, 838, 839, 843, 850-852, 858 and 11,705,740 square meters

859, as a group. equivalent.

Levels not in a Group

369-S \28\................................ 613,826 kilograms.

863-S \29\................................ 8,661,622 numbers.

870....................................... 33,265,202 kilograms.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Category 359-C: only HTS numbers 6103.42.2025, 6103.49.8034,

6104.62.1020, 6104.69.8010, 6114.20.0048, 6114.20.0052, 6203.42.2010,

6203.42.2090, 6204.62.2010, 6211.32.0010, 6211.32.0025 and 6211.42.0010.

\2\ Category 359-V: only HTS numbers 6103.19.2030, 6103.19.9030,

6104.12.0040, 6104.19.8040, 6110.20.1022, 6110.20.1024, 6110.20.2030,

6110.20.2035, 6110.90.9044, 6110.90.9046, 6201.92.2010, 6202.92.2020,

6203.19.1030, 6203.19.9030, 6204.12.0040, 6204.19.8040, 6211.32.0070 and

6211.42.0070.

\3\ Category 369-D: only HTS numbers 6302.60.0010, 6302.91.0005 and

6302.91.0045.

\4\ Category 369-H: only HTS numbers 4202.22.4020, 4202.22.4500 and

4202.22.8030.

\5\ Category 369-L: only HTS numbers 4202.12.4000, 4202.12.8020,

4202.12.8060, 4202.92.1500, 4202.92.3016, 4202.92.6091 and 6307.90.9905.

\6\ Category 659-C: only HTS numbers 6103.23.0055, 6103.43.2020,

6103.43.2025, 6103.49.2000, 6103.49.8038, 6104.63.1020, 6104.63.1030,

6104.69.1000, 6104.69.8014, 6114.30.3044, 6114.30.3054, 6203.43.2010,

6203.43.2090, 6203.49.1010, 6203.49.1090, 6204.63.1510, 6204.69.1010,

6210.10.9010, 6211.33.0010, 6211.33.0017 and 6211.43.0010.

\7\ Category 659-H: only HTS numbers 6502.00.9030, 6504.00.9015,

6504.00.9060, 6505.90.5090, 6505.90.6090, 6505.90.7090 and 6505.90.8090.

\8\ Category 659-S: only HTS numbers 6112.31.0010, 6112.31.0020,

6112.41.0010, 6112.41.0020, 6112.41.0030, 6112.41.0040, 6211.11.1010,

6211.11.1020, 6211.12.1010 and 6211.12.1020.

\9\ Category 669-P: only HTS numbers 6305.32.0010, 6305.32.0020,

6305.33.0010, 6305.33.0020 and 6305.39.0000.

\10\ Category 670-L: only HTS numbers 4202.12.8030, 4202.12.8070,

4202.92.3020, 4202.92.3031, 4202.92.9026 and 6307.90.9907.

\11\ Category 338-S: all HTS numbers except 6109.10.0012,

6109.10.0014, 6109.10.0018 and 6109.10.0023; Category 339-S: all HTS

numbers except 6109.10.0040, 6109.10.0045, 6109.10.0060 and

6109.10.0065.

[[Page 67048]]

\12\ Category 340-Z: only HTS numbers 6205.20.2015, 6205.20.2020,

6205.20.2050 and 6205.20.2060.

\13\ Category 341-Y: only HTS numbers 6204.22.3060, 6206.30.3010,

6206.30.3030 and 6211.42.0054.

\14\ Category 360-P: only HTS numbers 6302.21.3010, 6302.21.5010,

6302.21.7010, 6302.21.9010, 6302.31.3010, 6302.31.5010, 6302.31.7010 and

6302.31.9010.

\15\ Category 410-A: only HTS numbers 5111.11.3000, 5111.11.7030,

5111.11.7060, 5111.19.2000, 5111.19.6020, 5111.19.6040, 5111.19.6060,

5111.19.6080, 5111.20.9000, 5111.30.9000, 5111.90.3000, 5111.90.9000,

5212.11.1010, 5212.12.1010, 5212.13.1010, 5212.14.1010, 5212.15.1010,

5212.21.1010, 5212.22.1010, 5212.23.1010, 5212.24.1010, 5212.25.1010,

5311.00.2000, 5407.91.0510, 5407.92.0510, 5407.93.0510, 5407.94.0510,

5408.31.0510, 5408.32.0510, 5408.33.0510, 5408.34.0510, 5515.13.0510,

5515.22.0510, 5515.92.0510, 5516.31.0510, 5516.32.0510, 5516.33.0510,

5516.34.0510 and 6301.20.0020.

\16\ Category 410-B: only HTS numbers 5007.10.6030, 5007.90.6030,

5112.11.2030, 5112.11.2060, 5112.19.9010, 5112.19.9020, 5112.19.9030,

5112.19.9040, 5112.19.9050, 5112.19.9060, 5112.20.3000, 5112.30.3000,

5112.90.3000, 5112.90.9010, 5112.90.9090, 5212.11.1020, 5212.12.1020,

5212.13.1020, 5212.14.1020, 5212.15.1020, 5212.21.1020, 5212.22.1020,

5212.23.1020, 5212.24.1020, 5212.25.1020, 5309.21.2000, 5309.29.2000,

5407.91.0520, 5407.92.0520, 5407.93.0520, 5407.94.0520, 5408.31.0520,

5408.32.0520, 5408.33.0520, 5408.34.0520, 5515.13.0520, 5515.22.0520,

5515.92.0520, 5516.31.0520, 5516.32.0520, 5516.33.0520 and 5516.34.0520.

\17\ Category 440-M: Only HTS numbers 6203.21.0030, 6203.23.0030,

6205.10.1000, 6205.10.2010, 6205.10.2020, 6205.30.1510, 6205.30.1520,

6205.90.3020, 6205.90.4020 and 6211.31.0030.

\18\ Category 651-B: only HTS numbers 6107.22.0015 and 6108.32.0015.

\19\ Category 666-C: only HTS number 6303.92.2000.

\20\ Category 359-O: all HTS numbers except 6103.42.2025,

6103.49.8034, 6104.62.1020, 6104.69.8010, 6114.20.0048, 6114.20.0052,

6203.42.2010, 6203.42.2090, 6204.62.2010, 6211.32.0010, 6211.32.0025,

6211.42.0010 (Category 359-C); 6103.19.2030, 6103.19.9030, 6104.12.0040,

6104.19.8040, 6110.20.1022, 6110.20.1024, 6110.20.2030, 6110.20.2035,

6110.90.9044, 6110.90.9046, 6201.92.2010, 6202.92.2020, 6203.19.1030,

6203.19.9030, 6204.12.0040, 6204.19.8040, 6211.32.0070 and 6211.42.0070

(Category 359-V).

\21\ Category 659-O: all HTS numbers except 6103.23.0055,

6103.43.2020, 6103.43.2025, 6103.49.2000, 6103.49.8038, 6104.63.1020,

6104.63.1030, 6104.69.1000, 6104.69.8014, 6114.30.3044, 6114.30.3054,

6203.43.2010, 6203.43.2090, 6203.49.1010, 6203.49.1090, 6204.63.1510,

6204.69.1010, 6210.10.9010, 6211.33.0010, 6211.33.0017, 6211.43.0010

(Category 659-C); 6502.00.9030, 6504.00.9015, 6504.00.9060,

6505.90.5090, 6505.90.6090, 6505.90.7090, 6505.90.8090 (Category 659-H);

6112.31.0010, 6112.31.0020, 6112.41.0010, 6112.41.0020, 6112.41.0030,

6112.41.0040, 6211.11.1010, 6211.11.1020, 6211.12.1010 and 6211.12.1020

(Category 659-S).

\22\ Category 224-V: only HTS numbers 5801.21.0000, 5801.23.0000,

5801.24.0000, 5801.25.0010, 5801.25.0020, 5801.26.0010, 5801.26.0020,

5801.31.0000, 5801.33.0000, 5801.34.0000, 5801.35.0010, 5801.35.0020,

5801.36.0010 and 5801.36.0020.

\23\ Category 224-O: all HTS numbers except 5801.21.0000,

5801.23.0000, 5801.24.0000, 5801.25.0010, 5801.25.0020, 5801.26.0010,

5801.26.0020, 5801.31.0000, 5801.33.0000, 5801.34.0000, 5801.35.0010,

5801.35.0020, 5801.36.0010 and 5801.36.0020 (Category 224-V).

\24\ Category 369-O: all HTS numbers except 6302.60.0010, 6302.91.0005

and 6302.91.0045 (Category 369-D); 4202.22.4020, 4202.22.4500,

4202.22.8030 (Category 369-H); 4202.12.4000, 4202.12.8020, 4202.12.8060,

4202.92.1500, 4202.92.3016, 4202.92.6091 and 6307.90.9905 (Category 369-

L); and 6307.10.2005 (Category 369-S)

\25\ Category 604-O: all HTS numbers except 5509.32.0000 (Category 604-

A).

\26\ Category 669-O: all HTS numbers except 6305.32.0010,

6305.32.0020, 6305.33.0010, 6305.33.0020 and 6305.39.0000 (Category 669-

P).

\27\ Category 670-O: only HTS numbers 4202.22.4030, 4202.22.8050 and

4202.32.9550.

\28\ Category 369-S: only HTS number 6307.10.2005.

\29\ Category 863-S: only HTS number 6307.10.2015.

The limits set forth above are subject to adjustment pursuant to

the current bilateral agreement between the Governments of the

United States and the People's Republic of China.

Products in the above categories exported during 1998 shall be

charged to the applicable category limits for that year (see

directive dated December 22, 1997) to the extent of any unfilled

balances. In the event the limits established for that period have

been exhausted by previous entries, such products shall be charged

to the limits set forth in this directive.

These limits may be revised if China becomes a member of the

World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United States applies the WTO

agreement to China.

The conversion factor for merged Categories 638/639 is 12.96

(square meters equivalent/category unit).

Pursuant to the February 1, 1997 MOU and in accordance with a

letter to the Government of the People's Republic of China dated May

4, 1998, you are directed to charge the following amounts to the

1999 limits for categories listed below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Category Amount to be charged

------------------------------------------------------------------------

331....................................... 82,122 dozen pairs.

341....................................... 80 dozen.

347/348................................... 518 dozen.

351....................................... 62 dozen.

352....................................... 7,692 dozen.

631....................................... 30,700 dozen pairs.

636....................................... 101 dozen.

641....................................... 1,309 dozen.

647....................................... 25 dozen.

649....................................... 3,061 dozen.

652....................................... 6,372 dozen.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

In carrying out the above directions, the Commissioner of

Customs should construe entry into the United States for consumption

to include entry for consumption into the Commonwealth of Puerto

Rico.

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has

determined that these actions fall within the foreign affairs

exception to the rulemaking provisions of 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1).

Sincerely,

Troy H. Cribb,

Chairman, Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements.

[FR Doc. 98-32355 Filed 12-3-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DR-F