Directory_and_Chronicle_1941 — Page 268

A34

TIENTSIN

accentuated by such factors as the collapse of the exchange value of the Chinese national dollar, the imposition of trade and exchange control, and the outbreak of war in Europe. Not only bona fide consumers tried to buy all they could lay hands on, but also dealers and investors.

As in the previous year, Japan virtually monopolised the cotton piece goods trade by importing $6.5 million or 94 per cent of the total turnover, with Bri- tain, the next important supplier, lagging behind with only $81,260. Whereas no raw cotton was imported during the past three years, 48,308 quintals valued at $6.8 million was imported during 1939, of which India contributed 33,002 quintals; Brazil, 12,255 quintals; and America, 3,048 quintals. On account of the decline in the production of cotton in North China, the Japanese authorities had to reduce the quantity allowed for consumption by local cotton mills, and as the quota allotted was much below the normal requirements of the mills, the latter had to import raw cotton from abroad a higher cost.

Carded or combed wool jumped from 135,786 kilogrammes in the previous year to 886,573 kilogrammes. New Zealand was the biggest supplier with 560,102 kilogrammes to her credit. The increase was due partly to the shortage in the supply of native wool from the interior, but the main reason existed in the sudden activity of the local wool mills, which require foreign wool for weaving purposes. Japan continued to dominate in the trade of woollen yarn, serges, venetians, and piece goods, not otherwise recorded, but in overcoatings and worsted suitings Poland and Britain respectively succeeded in taking the lead. Polish overcoatings and tweeds imported during the year amounted to 56,516 kilogrammes, showing an increase of 6,600 kilogrammes over 1938.

Owing to the control over exports enforced in Japan, shipments of artificial silk yarn from that country declined precipitately from 1,444,963 kilogrammes in 1938 to only 427,686 kilogrammes in 1939. Taking advantage of the situation, Italian manufacturers were not slow in making advances. Her imports during the year totalled 534,680 kilogrammes, whereas in 1938 her share of the trade was only 18,881 kilogrammes. In artificial silk piece goods, pure and mixed, Japan retained her leading position.

4

Total imports of metals and ores showed a gain over the previous year. Import figures in the machinery and tools group remained on approximately the same level as the previous year. With the assumption of control over all North China railways by Japanese authorities, replacements and additions of locomotives, carriages, and railway materials were supplied nearly entirely by the South Manchuria Railway Workshop in Dairen. Motor trucks and cars imported during the year also dropped to a considerable extent, the former receding from 756 units in 1938 to 387 units and the latter from 299 to 201 units; imports of motor-car parts and accessories, however, continued to ascend. As in the previous year, the United States of America was the chief supplier of the first two items, while Japanese shipments were heaviest for the third. Bicycles registered only 2,884 pieces, whereas imports in 1938 and 1937 amounted to 7,005 and 25,340 pieces respectively.

All the principal items in the fishery and sea products group showed a substantial increase in import figures, with Japan continuing in the lead. Special mention should be made of tea, total imports of which reached the high figure of 4,164,082 kilogrammes, showing an increase of nearly 500 per cent. over the record of 1938. Of the total, Japan supplied no less than 3,493,822 kilogrammes. Sugar was no exception to the general import boom, and tre- mendous gains were shown in Customs statistics, 979,202 quintals being imported as against 484,074 quintals in 1938. Japan was the chief supplier. Imports of cigarettes rose abruptly from 23,178 mille in 1938 to 97,535 mille this year, of which 53,625 mille was shipped from Korea and 36,286 mille from Japan. Leaf tobacco, on the other hand, dropped seriously, the figures for 1938 and 1939 being 2,575,148 and 1,711,707 kilogrammes respectively. Shipments from America, amounting to 553,866 kilogrammes valued at $854,142, ranked first in value, followed by Japan with 463,513 kilogrammes valued at $401,307. Quantitatively, India ranked highest with 658,512 kilogrammes, though the value was lower.