China has already warned that it will challenge any attempt to limit its exports to the United States when the global quotas are lifted next year.

The limited global quota is among several provisions authorized in the bill to keep the U.S. upland cotton spinning industry competitive.

A limited global quota cannot overlap with the step 3 quota, one of the cotton competitiveness provisions.

This category includes global quotas in respect to specific countries, seasonal quotas, and so-called "voluntary" export restraints.

With the end of the global quotas, Chinese exports of shorts, trousers, underwear and other garments have surged.

But with global quotas ending on Jan. 1, the government announced that the containers of excess goods would be embargoed until February.

The new legislation sets global quotas instead of limits on imports from specific countries.

This was a common practice before the expiration of global quotas on Jan. 1, and a practice that American unions frequently denounced.

What is known is that China wants to insure that its critical textile and apparel industries are not discriminated against as global quotas are relaxed.

But its exports of textiles and apparel have flooded the world market since global quotas were lifted on Jan. 1.