72
HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT
countries: the United Kingdom, Malaya, the United States, Thailand, Indonesia, and China; while almost 40% of total exports was accounted for by textiles and clothing.
The value of imports in 1958 was $4,593.73 million, a fall of 11% compared with 1957. China remained the principal source of supply of the Colony's imports, and China, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States together provided 64% of the value of total imports of which 65% consisted of food and manu- factured goods. Imports fell from all countries, except China, Malaya and Middle and Near East countries.
The value of exports to the United Kingdom rose by $56.49 million to $393.24 million and accounted for 13% of total exports, making the United Kingdom Hong Kong's most valuable customer in 1958. Over 80% of this increase was made up of increases in exports of textile yarns and piece-goods, and footwear. Imports from the United Kingdom fell by $136.39 million to $530.89 million; the principal commodities affected were base metals, textile yarns and piece-goods, transport equipment and manufac- tures of metals.
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The United States has become third on the export list with purchases rising in 1958 by $128.17 million to $326.35 million. Exports of clothing alone accounted for $82.97 million of this increase, while other commodities affected were miscellaneous manufactured articles, footwear, and fish and fish preparations. Imports from the United States fell by $99.48 million to $439.56 million; the value of imports of ores and metal scrap, textile fibres and waste, and textile yarns and piece-goods all decreased.
Malaya was Hong Kong's second most valuable customer in 1958 and bought goods worth $382.23 million, which was $10 million more than in 1957. Imports from Malaya also increased but by only $1 million.
Trade with China showed an increase in the value of both imports and exports compared with 1957. Imports increased by $265.81 million to a total of $1,396.92 million, which represented 30% of total imports. Foodstuffs, especially live animals for food, cereals and cereal preparations, fish and fish preparations, and sugar and sugar preparations, recorded increases, as also did textile yarns and piece-goods and base metals. The steady fall in