Omaha daily bee., 1919-11-13
China S foreign Trade
By Consul General Thomas Sammons,
Shanghai.

Again in 1918, regardless of the great world
war and unsettled internal political conditions,
| China's foreign trade increased, keeping the
grand total we'll above the billion-dollar mark.
industrially, and as manufacturing center,
China has great future. With the production
of China's raw materials, such as iron, cotton
and coal, fully developed and utilized in ex-
panding domestic enterprises, and the abund-
ant cheap labor available. the country will as
sumo position Of rapidly increasing impor--
lance in the business world. Gradually and
steadily foreign enterprise is adding to manu-
featuring plants in China, particularly at Shang
hal. Success, as a rule, is met with. Ultimately,
| China will not only contribute largely to or
wholly supply local needs in various lines, but
will enter the export trade as we'll.
| Already, American-born Chinese are success
fully operating transpacific passenger and
may be supplemented by Ch:aas' utilization of
enemy steamers acquired during the war.
| Other commercial enterprises having conrec-
tons with China's foreign trade, as we'll as with
the country's vast internal business activities,
are receiving the serious attention of Chinese
business men. Moreover, Chinese political
leaders are, in many instances, taking prac-
teal interest in promoting Chinas industrial
possibilities. Business men are ready to es-
tablish connections with foreign interests, and
foreigners who feel warranted in seriously ex-
aiming into trade possibilities may we'll send
representative to conduct frst-hand inpesti-
cations on which to base statement for con-
sideration in connection with deciding the
policy to be followed.
The trend of Chinas billion dollar foreign
trade is we'll illustrated by the following fig
ures, showing the share Of the principal coun-
tries participating in it in 1902 1917 and 1918
These totals speak for the actual results thus
far attained, about which much comment has
been published. Only two observations will
be made n this connection: "a Japan's ad
vance from is per cent in 1909 to 40 per cent
in 1918, and (2) the undetermined origin and
destination of Honkongs trans-shpment trade.
Great Britain and the United States obviously
control a large share of the trade Of that port.
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United k sss issos
As providing a brief trade index the fore
most items of Chinas import trade may be
summarized as follows: Cotton goods and
yarn, coming chiefly from Japan, India, Hong
kong, the United Kingdom, and the United
Dutch Indies, and the United States; and Gig
arets from Great Britain and the United States.
The leading articles of export include silk and
silk products shipped principally to Hongkong,
France, the United States. and the United King.
dom; tea, to Russia and the United States; and
raw cotton to Japan and the United States.
In the conversion of the haikwan tael into
American currency in this report the rates of
$l.02 and $l.193 have been used for the years
1917 and 1918, respectively. In this connection,
it may be of interest to quote the rates of value
of the hakwan tael in United States dollars, as
fixed by the Chinese maritime customs and
based on the average bankers sight draft ex
change on New York, for the last 10 years, as
foews In 1909 $685. in ly $780, in I'LL
so.e7; in i9i5, $o.62; in 1916. $o.7o; in 1oi7,
$103; and in 1918, $1.26. From the foregoing,
it may be seen that the 1918 value Of the haik-
wan tael is exactly double that of 1909, Go
years ago), and "a per cent above the rate for
1914, Give years ago) ...
The trade of China throughout 1918 was sub
jected to the same handicaps as during 1917.
In all cases where foreign trade could be at
fected by the war, conditions were worse than
in 1917. Although the high price. Of silver in
creased the purchasing power Of China, this
advantage was more than offset by decreased
available tonnage, higher freights higher
prices, and the war restrictions imposed by
western countries on both imports and exports.
Owing TO- the presence OF bolshevism in
persuaded to declare an embargo on exports to
Siberia China's trade with Russia had practic-
ally collapsed on account of the extinction OF
Russian credit resulting from disturbed poll
teal condition there. This has been very
Internal conditions in general were very I'M
satisfactory owing to increased civil strife bri-
gandage the serious interruption OF railway
traffic, and a recrudescence OF the pneumonic
plague. However, the plague was principally
confined to the provinces of Shansi, Chilli and
Shantung only appearing for short time at
Marking in Kangsu province. While the loss
of life was heavy, the detrment to trade from
this cause was not as great as might be ex-
pected. On the other hand, there were no wide
spread floods, no drought, and no famine to
speak of during the year. The seasons were
all proptious and crops were generally abund-
ant I~- ..