The South African clothing and textile industry has responded favorably to an announcement that China is to voluntarily reduce its clothing and textile exports to South Africa, according to local Business Day on Monday.

A reduction in Chinese imports would help revive the domestic industry, said Aaron Searll, CEO of South Africa's biggest clothing and textile manufacturer, Seardell Investment Holdings, on Friday.

He said that clothing imports from China had risen 40 percent in the past nine months. "It is overwhelming," Searll said.

China's ambassador to South Africa, Liu Guijin, said on Thursday his country would limit export of garments and some textile items to South Africa.

Searll said more clarification was required on the form the limitations would take, and whether they would mean a percentage cap on the volume of imports, as promoted by the World Trade Organization (WTO).

"The industry also needs to know how long is it to be enforced for and who will enforce it," he said.