After high-level talks here, Brussels said it had made clear to the Chinese that it aimed to open formal talks at the World Trade Organisation, opening the way for limits on Chinese textiles if China does not take steps hold back its booming clothing exports.

"In the next few days, and certainly before May 31, the Chinese side understands that we will request formal consultations under the textile specific safeguard clause in China's WTO accession protocol on textiles for two textiles and clothing categories -- flax yarn and T-shirts," spokeswoman Claude Veron-Reville said in statement.

Earlier the European Commission authorized formal talks with Beijing to be launched if informal discussions between EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson and a Chinese negotiator failed to lead to an agreement.

An EU source said Brussels was stepping up the talks and enlarging them to include other clothing categories that it considers under threat by surging Chinese textile imports.

"We are speeding up on these two categories to send a signal to China and we're starting broad negotiations because a balanced agreement is needed," the source said.

"The commission and China agreed today that these talks will continue and intensify," Veron-Reville said.

A request for the formal talks at the WTO could be sent to Beijing "within 48 hours", a diplomat close to the matter said.

Under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, if Brussels decides to go ahead with formal talks China must take "self-restraint measures" within 15 days of the start of discussions, which can last a maximum of 90 days. The EU's executive commission said Wednesday it would seek urgent talks with Beijing on surging Chinese textile exports, in the latest step towards imposing limits in a row with the Asian economic giant.

After high-level talks here, Brussels said it had made clear to the Chinese that it aimed to open formal talks at the World Trade Organisation, opening the way for limits on Chinese textiles if China does not take steps hold back its booming clothing exports.

"In the next few days, and certainly before May 31, the Chinese side understands that we will request formal consultations under the textile specific safeguard clause in China's WTO accession protocol on textiles for two textiles and clothing categories -- flax yarn and T-shirts," spokeswoman Claude Veron-Reville said in statement.

Earlier the European Commission authorized formal talks with Beijing to be launched if informal discussions between EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson and a Chinese negotiator failed to lead to an agreement.

An EU source said Brussels was stepping up the talks and enlarging them to include other clothing categories that it considers under threat by surging Chinese textile imports.

"We are speeding up on these two categories to send a signal to China and we're starting broad negotiations because a balanced agreement is needed," the source said.

"The commission and China agreed today that these talks will continue and intensify," Veron-Reville said.

A request for the formal talks at the WTO could be sent to Beijing "within 48 hours", a diplomat close to the matter said.

Under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, if Brussels decides to go ahead with formal talks China must take "self-restraint measures" within 15 days of the start of discussions, which can last a maximum of 90 days.