There are tough times ahead for textile and apparel exporters from China who get their products re-exported or transshipped from destinations like Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.

Particularly so from Vietnam, as its trade body plans new policy to limit imports from China to assuage the US which is constantly monitoring all imports originating from Vietnam, in turn.

It is learnt that Vietnam Trade Department which monitors imports and exports, is in the process of formulating caps on textile and apparel imports from China.

Country of origin has for long been a teething issue discussed at World Trade Organization, practically at every meet it organizes.

Cheap clothings are normally pushed through this route when big exporters used to exhaust their textile and clothing quotas prior to 2005 when trade became free.

Vietnam's exports to the US has been a matter of debate betweeen US manufacturers and importers (read retailers) who have been at daggers drawn over this crucial issue that can spell life or death for domestic industry, there.

Now, with Vietnam planning a cap on Chinese imports, manufacutrers here will have to seek other options which is quite evident.