China is criticizing U.S. moves aimed at protecting the domestic textile industry.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang says Washington's actions are unreasonable and protectionist.

Monday the U.S. Commerce Department said it has begun an investigation into whether a recent surge in Chinese textile imports is disrupting the U.S. market.

The review is the first step in a process that could lead to the re-imposition of quotas on certain products.

The investigation will cover imports of trousers, knit shirts, and underwear. Imports of trousers rose 1,500 percent in the first quarter of this year over the same period last year. Imports of knit shirts were up 1,250 percent. A global quota system on textile imports expired at the end of 2004.