A6
CHINA
IMPORTS
The total net value of the import trade, as already pointed out, declined by 7 per cent, from $953 million in 1937 to $886 million for 1938. The table follow- ing shows the net imports from abroad for the years 1936, 1937 and 1938, 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, 1936-38
1936. St. $
1937.
Cereals and Flour
49,219,653
St. $ 58,555,602
1938. St. $ 130,004,931
Candles, Soap, Oils, Fats, Waxes, Gums
and Resins
105,132,577
118,556,281
91,291,244
Metals and Ores
108,055,485
131,637,637
65,117,767
Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals
51,839,815
61,282,114
57,117,109
Machinery and Tools
......
59,980,614
65,013,106
56,398,946
Books, Maps, Paper and Wood Pulp
57,467,152
65,302,004
45,277,882
Cotton and Manufactures thereof
54,360,056 37,562,942
42,876,801
Vehicles and Vessels
52,483,640
42,102,103
33,838,231
Dyes, Pigments, Paints and Varnishes
41,193,099
37,105,358
31,145,583
Miscellaneous Metal Manufactures
46,712,322
41,437,886
29,703,497
Tobacco
17,389,337
21,874,283
22,602,291
Timber
28,910,762
23,238,569
22,344,073
Coal, Fuel, Pitch and Tar
7,449,731
5,995,119
21,501,639
Sugar
20,534,761
22,030,645
19,795,606
Wool and Manufactures thereof
29,310,711
35,604,359
18,889,161
Silk (including Artificial
Silk) and
Manufactures thereof
9,370,699
13,575,678
17,832,440
Flax, Ramie, Hemp, Jute and Manufac-
tures thereof
17,986,704
20,521,536
14,622,862
Fruits, Seeds and Vegetables
5,821,783
5,605,475
13,857,842
Animal Products, Canned Goods and
Groceries
9,370,701
8,399,441
10,133,067
Fishery and Sea Products
17,793,232
13,258,259
9,940,610
Medicinal Substances and Spices
8,729,825
7,235,235
6,830,345
Wood, Bamboos, Rattans, Coir, Straw
and Manufactures thereof
7,622,031
6,928,245
6,605,920
Hides, Leather and other Animal
Substances
4,778,499
Stone, Earth and Manufactures thereof... Chinaware, Enamelledware, Glass, etc. Wines, Beer, Spirits, Table Waters, etc. General Sundry List
4,453,829
4,463,538
3,697,706
3,437,917
3,986,228
...
4,803,674
5,527,089
3,793,739
1,603,112
1,220,535
2,840,237
119,927,057
95,924,760
103,387,980
TOTAL
St. S 941,544,738
953,386,007
886,199,569
Such
The above table, however, will serve to give some general idea of the trend and value of China's import trade during the year under review as compared with the years 1936 and 1937 and may be the subject of certain comment. changes as have taken place may be largely ascribed to conditions brought about by the hostilities. It will be noticed that the cereals and flour group has resumed its foremost position, this being largely due to an increase in the import of wheat flour, principally from Japan and Australia, total imports being valued for 1938 at $53 million as compared with only $6 million during 1937; there was also an increase in the value of rice and paddy from $40.8 million to $56.4 million, largely from Burma, French Indo-China, and Siam; while cereals, not otherwise recorded, principally from the Kwantung Leased Territory, reached a value of $17.5 million as compared with only $0.6 million during the previous Under candles, soap, oils, etc., the value fell from $118.5 million to $91.3 million, imports of gasolene, naphtha, and mineral benzine declining from $27.6
year.