Directory_and_Chronicle_1932 — Page 432

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CHINA.

in their home country, but during 1930 the depression in the above trades has thrown enormous numbers of Chinese out of employment and remittances thence and from America also, where unemployment is no less rife, must in the future, if they have not already done so, decrease considerably when eşti- mated in gold, even though the outturn in silver may superficially assume a less portentous aspect.

DIRECTION OF TRADE.

Appended is a comparative table for the last two years showing the mer- chandise balance of trade between China and each of the countries named. In analysing this table it must be again emphasised that the countries of proven- ance and destination are those recorded by the Customs in accordance with the declarations made by importers and exporters or as appearing on bills of lading and shipping orders. Once again, every endeavour has been made in the interests of trade to encourage merchants to state the correct country of origin and ultimate port of discharge, but little or no progress can be reported, though it is antipated that some improvement may be forthcoming in the near future. Hongkong still remains the bane of accurate statistics, while many cargoes consigned from or destined for Canada and the United States are assigned to Japan, and this is especially noticeable in the case of Northern and Manchurian ports. Germany, possibly more than any other country, still suffers from the effect of incorrect declarations.

The Direction of China's Foreign Trade

In thousands of Haik wan taels (000 omitted)

1929. Excess of

1930.

Excess of

Imports. Exports. Hk. Tls. Hk. Tis,

53,405

COUNTRY.

NET IMPORTS.

1929.

EXPORTS.

1930.

Hk. Tls. Hk. Tls.

1929. Fik. Tls.

Hongkong

1930. Hk. Tls.

Imports. Exports.

Hk. Tls. Hk. Tis.

214,412

211,423

173,581

158,018

36,831

Macao

5,770

French Indo-China

5,100

4,442

4,022

1,328

1,078

14,263

27,831

5,754

3,882

8,509

"Siam

23,919

4,145

3,374

5,136

5,554

991

Singapore, Straits, etc.

•

2,180

11,098

8,931

23,560

19,177

12,464

Dutch Indies

10,346

54,262 47,450

12,459

11,707

41,803

British India

35,743

54,180

132,093

17,815

16 953

36,365

Turkey, Persia, Egypt, Aden, etc.

115,140

1,912

1,865

54,541

22,150

Great Britain

52,629]

20,285

118,657

107,118

74,331

62,689

44,323

44,449

Norway..

..

4,171

3,213

281

301

Sweden

3,887

2,909

3,827

4,164

662

687

3,165

Denmark

3,477

294

410

1,398

1,634

1,104

Germany

1,224

66,753

68,799

22,459

23,361

Netherlands

44,295

45,438

11,826

10,627 39,513

41,944

27,717

Belgo-Luxemburg Economic

34,317

Federation

25,755

27,401 4,133

4,533 21,622

22,868

France

18,044

16,758

56,319

42,700

Switzerland

39,275

25,912

2,586

2,695

74

89

2,512

2,606

Italy

19,817

14,648

16,377

9,332

Russia and Siberia

3,440

5,316

·

18,148

18,461

55,986

55,413

37,838

Korea

36,952

14,868

13,022

39,784

Japan (including Formosa)

44,175

24,916

31,153

319,075

322,303

256,428

216,555

62,617

105,748

Philippine Islands

5,030

4,211

7.419

Canada ..

8,353

2,389

4,142

38,413

13,488

2,160

U.S. of America (incl. Hawaii) Cuba

3,491 36,253

9,997

230,109

231,6:3 137,836

131,880

92,273

99,773

3,657

Australia, New Zealand, etc.

6,015

1,351 7,586 1,103

7

3,657

1,344

1,308

Other Countries

4,907

6,278

2,694

3,881 2,096

1,916

598

1,935

Total

414,912

1,265,779 1,309,756 1,015,687 894,814 250,092

REPORT ON TRADE.

Turning to the table itself and, as before, eliminating from all calcula- tions the figures for Hongkong as being in dispute, Japan still easily retains the premier position in China's trade both in imports and exports, while the balance of trade in her favour more than regained the loss recorded during