INDUSTRY AND TRADE
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the value of exports to China since 1951 was reversed in 1958 when it rose by $32.41 million to $155.76 million.
Trade with Japan fell considerably in 1958. Although Japan takes second place on the import list with a value of $596.99 million, this was $166.38 million less than in 1957, this fall being due almost entirely to the reduction in imports of textile yarns and piece-goods. Exports to Japan fell by $108.10 million; the principal commodities affected were ore and metal scrap and textile fibres and waste.
Trade with Indonesia continued to decline in 1958. Exports to Indonesia of textile yarns and piece-goods and base metals fell and total exports were valued at $210.75 million compared with $312.49 million in 1957. There was a fall of $31.57 million in imports.
Thailand is now fourth among export markets, and fifth as a source of supply. Exports to Thailand rose by $28.85 million to a total of $217.01 million in 1958; increases were recorded in the values of base metals, textile yarns and piece-goods and fruits and vegetables. Imports, however, fell by $31.49 million to a total of $160.29 million.
The division of the Colony's exports into re-exports and exports of domestic products is not complete and although a wide range of Hong Kong products is recorded separately in the Trade Statistics, it was decided that in 1958 the presentation of statistics on exports of local products should take a different form. To the list of items separately classified were added those items an analysis of the export declarations of which revealed that nor- mally 90% or more of their value is accounted for by manufac- tures of Hong Kong origin. The list of items included is shown in Appendix XI. The value of the exports of these products 'wholly or principally of Hong Kong origin' in 1958 was $1,260.28 million compared with $1,202.00 million in 1957, and represented 42% of the value of the Colony's total exports. The map between pages 74 and 75 illustrates the countries which were customers for these local products. The United Kingdom, the United States, Malaya and Indonesia were the most important, taking together nearly 55% of the total. The most important exports were cloth- ing, cotton piece-goods, cotton yarns, footwear and enamelled household utensils.