§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement about the Government's trade negotiations with the People's Republic of China, with particular reference to the desire of the Government of China to increase its textile exports to the West and to EEC countries including the United Kingdom in order to help pay for its imports of manufactured goods and technology.
§ Mr. Meacher, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 13 February 1979; Vol. 962, c. 493–4], gave the following information:
Negotiations are in progress towards a United Kingdom—China economic cooperation agreement which envisages a significant expansion of two-way trade. The EEC Commission is discussing with the Chinese authorities the limitation of textile products into the Community. I am confident that the Chinese authorities appreciate that arrangements for textile imports must be governed broadly by MFA principles.