China and the United States will hold the fourth round of talks on the textile issue during August 30-31 as the two countries failed to reach any agreement in the third round ending in San Francisco on August 17, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said Saturday.
   
The two countries still have substantial differences in some matters of principle concerning the issue, and agreed to continue consultations to seek solutions to the problem, a ministry spokesman said.
   
This is meant to create an environment for the steady development of bilateral textile trade, the spokesman added.
   
It was reported that the US side would make a final decision on imposing restrictions on six categories of Chinese textile products before August 31.
   
So far, some 20 kinds of Chinese textile products have been put under US restrictions or are under restriction-related investigations.
   
China and the United States held the first round of talks on the textile issue on June 17 and the second round on July 8.

(Xinhua News Agency August 28, 2005)