China is cutting customs inspection fees on textile exports this year in a move to help the sector, which is a big provider of jobs. Fees on textiles exported between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2009, will be cut by 30 percent. The usual charge is 0.15 percent of the declared value of the shipment. China’s exports of garments in April were down 11.2 percent from a year earlier at $7.37 billion, while exports of cloth and woven products fell 14.4 percent to $5.12 billion, according to customs figures. China has also increased rebates of value added tax to aid textile exporters. The industry employs an estimated 19 million people.
via Reuters