China will take comprehensive measures next year to ensure a stable textile export growth, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on Sunday.

Since the country's textile export faces complex situation amid a world economy slowdown and financial turmoil, the country should try to provide its textile industry with a sound external trade environment, said a senior official with the MOC's foreign trade department.

Figures from China Customs showed the nation's textile and garment exports hit US$136.94 billion in the first nine months, up 8.1 percent year-on-year. The growth rate was 11.9 percentage points lower from the same period last year.

Of this, export to the US stood at US$19.24 billion in the first three quarters, representing an year-on-year increase of 1.4 percent, but the growth rate was 28 percentage points lower from the same period last year.

"The MOC will strengthen cooperation and dialogue with textile trade partner countries. Relevant departments should ensure services and guide the enterprises to upgrade industrial structure," he said.

Meanwhile, he urged textile enterprises to adjust policies to adapt to a changing trade situation, avoid expending production ability at random, lift quality standard and enhance international competition ability.

(Xinhua News Agency October 27, 2008)