P.M. BRIEFING : China Shoe Exports to U.S. Soar

China is America’s No. 1 shoemaker after supplying 193 million pairs to the U.S. market in just the first nine months of 1990--up 88% from the same period in 1989.

U.S. factories shipped only 154 million pairs in the first three quarters of 1990, but they sold for $3.2 billion, compared with $902 million for the Chinese shoes, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission.

The number of American jobs in the industry dropped 7% to 70,300, according to the report.

China surged past Taiwan and South Korea as the volume leader, which both fell. Indonesia and Thailand both rose in volume.

The Chinese shoes are mostly the cheaper kinds, made of plastics and fabrics. But they also include popular athletic shoes and more and more higher-priced leathers, though they are not sold under familiar brand names.