On October 1, 2020, the Indonesian Safeguards Committee officially launched an investigation into the safeguards of imported clothing and clothing accessories based on the application of the Indonesian Textile Association. The tax numbers of the goods involved are 6101, 6102, 6103, 6104, 6105, and 6106 , 6109, 6110, 6111, 6117, 6201, 6202, 6203, 6204, 6205, 6206, 6209 and 6214. The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles held an online response coordination meeting on the afternoon of October 15, 2020.
Wang Yu, Vice President of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles, Guo Fang, Deputy Director of the Third Export Division of the Trade Remedy and Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Shandong, Gansu, Jiangsu Provincial Departments of Commerce and Ningbo and Dongguan Municipalities Relevant persons in charge of the Commerce Bureau, nearly 20 companies involved in the case, including Chenfeng Group Co., Ltd., Ningbo Shenzhou Import and Export Co., Ltd., Gansu Zhonga Clothing Co., Ltd., Ningbo Shenzhou Import and Export Co., Ltd., and Dongguan Yikai Garment Co., Ltd. Representatives attended the response meeting.
At the meeting, Wang Yu first introduced the situation of this case and the latest data on my country’s textile and clothing exports to Indonesia and the historical data in the past three years. The case applicant, the Indonesian Textile Association, and the Indonesian safeguard measures case last year were introduced and the company was briefed on the necessity of responding to the lawsuit. Guo Fang introduced the key industries and response results of the safeguard measures cases initiated by Indonesia against my country in recent years, informed the companies under investigation that “dangers and opportunities coexist”, and provided specific instructions for companies, governments, and industry associations to do after responding to the lawsuits. The work was explained. Guo Fang hopes that all parties will make good use of the four-body linkage mechanism and strive for good response results. Representatives of several export companies participating in the meeting introduced their export products and Indonesian importers in the past three years. Finally, lawyers from four law firms gave the company a detailed introduction to the company’s response strategies for this case.
Since September 2019, the Indonesian investigation agency has launched 5 safeguard measures investigations on textile and clothing products. The products involved accounted for 38% of China’s total textile and clothing exports to Indonesia. The applicants in the 5 cases were all Indonesian Textile Association. Among them, four cases involving yarns, fabrics, bedding and carpets all imposed high safeguard duties, and Indonesia’s intention to protect trade has been significantly strengthened. In addition, it should be noted that in the past year, the trials of Indonesian safeguard measures cases have been characterized by a wide range of products, short investigation time, fast trial speed, strong political purpose, and serious trade protectionism. The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles reminds companies to speed up the shipment of existing orders, actively contact importers and downstream customers to lobby in Indonesia, and prepare for industry defense. </p
