BEIJING. Nov 10 : China announced a ban on US fruits, alcoholic drinks, textiles and other imports Sunday in retali-al ion for a cut in Chinese textile exports to the Unitied States, reports AP.

The ban will go into effect from December 6. the Foreign Trade Ministry and Chinese customs said in a joint statement Issued through the staterun Xinhua News Agency.

The statement called the ban

temporary but did not say how long it would last or give a monetary value of the imports lo be suspended.

A detailed list of US imports to be suspended will be drawn up before the December 6 deadline. Xinhua said. Imports targeted include some US textiles, agricultural and animal husbandly products, fruits and alcoholic drinks and beverages, it said.

The ban is in response to

Washington's decision on September 6 to cut import quotas of Chinese textiles because ol suspicions that Chinese enterprises illegally transshipped textiles. Xinhua said.

Chinese officials repeatedly protested the quota cut. which Xinhua said was made without fully consulting China and without clear evidence to back it up. seriously violating a Chi-nese-US textile agreement.

It said China had warned the Office of the US Trade Representative it would be forced to retaliate if the quota cut was not canceled. “Up to now. the US side has not withdrawn its quota decision." it added.

China wants the dispute settled according to a signed textile agreement and "opposes any. practice intended to impose the will of one side upon others in trade dealings." the announcement said.

"We wish to urge the United States to handle trade disputes in the spirit of advancing bilateral traoe and refrain from taking any actions harmful to bilateral trade in the future." it added.

It also accused the USTR office of cutting Chinese textile quotas for three years in a row "in the absence of full consultation and clear evidence."