Textile Disputes and Two-Level Games: The Case of China and South Africa

Abstract

After the establishment of Sino–South African trade relations in 1998, China gained access to the South African clothing, footwear, and textile markets. By 2002, however, the domestic constituency in South Africa had started to accuse China of flooding the markets with inexpensive textile goods and engaging in unfair trade practices. As a result, a call was made for the implementation of quotas on Chinese textile products. A two-level game commenced, with the domestic constituencies on the one side and the governments of both countries on the other side. The factors that contributed to double-edged diplomacy, the process of both domestic and international negotiations, and the outcomes are discussed in this article. It is further important to comment on the strategic and policy implications for both countries, as well as the influence of the textile issue on the immediate region.