In recent years, China's chemical fibre industry has maintained rapid growth, emerging as a chief fibre-producing country in the world.

However, this sector is facing a new problem now. The international trade environment for chemical fibre, along with related textile and apparel products, has become uncertain with the industry having to cope with major issues like rising trade frictions and various barriers.

Chemical fibre production reached about 17 million tons last year, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the total domestic textile fibre output. Chemical fibre textile and apparel exports also upturned significantly.

But international trade disputes have also augmented with rise in competitive edge of Chinese chemical fibre. Many anti-dumping cases were imposed on local chemical fibre textile products in 2006. Chemical fibres are products most vulnerable to anti-dumping measures.

EU launched anti-dumping investigations over Chinese chemical fibre cloth, while US manufacturers impressed anti-dumping investigations over polyester staple fibre imported from China.

Sino-EU and Sino-US textile agreements had created a stable trade environment in the past, ensuring orderly development of country’s textile trade. Possibility of trade friction, involving anti-dumping and counter-subsidy, will certainly increase after termination of these agreements.