CO129-629-2 Arrangements for the reception of the Hong Kong delegation to the British Industries Fair 1-4-1950 - 31-7-1950 — Page 42

between Hong Kong and China have been dislocated and as a result of the Nationalist blockade

the great port of Shanghai has been effectively

closed to shipping except for a few blockade

runners. Nevertheless, as is well-known, cargoes

for China have found their way through Tientsin

Hong Kong 1

increase

and other northern ports and trade in 1949

with Chinese total has shown a further big improvement over the previous year, itself a

record one. The total value of imports and

exports for the year was £317 million, an

of 38% over the total for 1948. 23% of the trade

was with China as compared with 19% in 1948. 4 Throughout the year Hong Kong's industrial

production, as distinct from its trade and commerce,

has also continued to expand not only in volume of output but also in the variety of products and scope

of markets. The Hong Kong stand at the British Industries Fair this year itself provides good evidence

of this and it may now be said that there are very

few corners of the globe to which Hong Kong

manufactures do not penetrate.

5. Satisfactory as these facts and figures are,

those who are familiar with Far Eastern trade would

agree that a note of caution should be sounded when examining the prospects for Hong Kong's trade and industry in the coming year. Everyone hopes that the present prosperity will continue but, as an entrepôt Hong Kong must often be at the

mercy

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