A6
CHINA
IMPORTS
As already pointed out, the value of the import trade increased by 1.3 per cent, from $941 million in 1936 to $953 million for 1937. The following table shows the net imports from abroad for the years 1935, 1936 and 1937, arranged according to the main groupings in the "Monthly Returns of the Foreign Trade of China" and according to the order of importance of these groupings during the year under review:
NET IMPORTS FROM ABROAD, 1935-37
Metals and Ores
1935. St. $ 87,442,948
1936.
St. $ 108,055,485
1937. St. $
131,637,637
Candles, Soap, Oils, Fats, Waxes, Gums,
and Resins
.101,696,701
105,132,577
118,556,281
Books, Maps, Paper, and Wood Pulp...... 53,124,800
57,467,152
65,302,004
Machinery and Tools
65,853,248
59,980,614
65,013,106
Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals
37,443,182
51,839,815
61,282,114
Cereals and Flour
.135,917,318
49,219,653
58,555,602
Vehicles and Vessels
30,584,591
52,483,640
42,102,103
Miscellaneous Metal Manufactures
34,805,947
46,712,322
41,437,886
Cotton and Manufactures thereof
68,679,626
54,360,056
37,562,942
Dyes, Pigments, Paints, and Varnishes
37,611,774
41,193,099
37,105,358
Wool and Manufactures thereof
20,411,974
29,310,711
35,604,359
Timber
34,768,106
28,910,762
23,238,569
Sugar
27,672,906
20,534,761
22,030,645
Tobacco
11,300,883
17,389,337
21,874,283
Flax, Ramie, Hemp, Jute, and Manufac-
tures thereof
13,167,762
17,986,704
20,521,536
Silk (including Artificial
Silk) and
Manufactures thereof
8,046,105
9,370,699
13,575,678
Fishery and Sea Products
19,028,281
17,793,232
13,258,259
Animal Products, Canned Goods, and
Groceries
11,778,208
9,370,701
8,399,441
Medicinal Substances and Spices
8,689,249
8,729,825
7,235,235
Wood, Bamboos. Rattans, Coir, Straw,
and Manufactures thereof
7,541,582
7,622,031
6,928,245
Coal, Fuel, Pitch, and Tar
9,199,084
7,449,731
5,995,119
Fruits, Seeds, and Vegetables
6,948,743
5,821,783
5,605,475
Chinaware, Enamelledware, Glass, etc.
5,762,369
4,803,674
5,527,089
Hides, Leather, and other Animal
Substances
4,530,345
4,778,499
4,453,829
Stone, Earth, and Manufactures thereof... Wines, Beer, Spirits, Table Waters, etc. General Sundry List
4,736,125
3,697,706
3,437,917
2,965,108
1,603,112
1,220,535
69,504,357
119,927,057
95,924,760
TOTAL.........
919,211,322
431,544,738
953,386,007
The above table will, however, give some idea of the comparative values of the principal imports. As will be seen, metals and ores again head the list of imports according to value, there being an increase over 1936 of $23.6 million. In this, however, as in other cases, the increase in value has not necessarily been accompanied by a proportionate increase in volume. Under metals and ores, the principal increases according to value occurred in ungalvanized iron and steel bars, in sheets and plates, and tinned plates, with a decline in the value of rails and structural material. Second on the list appears candles, soap, oils, fats, waxes, gums, and resins, with an increase of $13.4 million, gasolene, naphtha, and mineral benzine being higher by $4.8 million and kerosene oil by nearly $8 million, with a decline in the value of liquid fuel. Under paper, there was a decline in the import of cigarette paper from Japan, with an increase in