The sun., 1919-11-05
CHINESE OF TODAY EAGER
FOR FOREIGN COOPERA TON
Old Regime of Suspicion Passes and Racial Antipathy
Goes With It-Seek Friendly Trade, but
Object to Exploitation.

went out TO China as independent trad
ers," asking only for equal opportunity,
and 1t was perhaps because of the sue
cess Of their policy that the few English
independent traders of Canton insisted
on the dissolution of the monopolistic
Fast India Company that absorbed prac-
tically all OF the most important lines
OF trade. Americans went out to China
when America was an importing coun-
try, in the infancy Of Industrial devel-
opment They could not, therefore. bar
ter their own products as the Britishers
did, but were handicapped by tho fact
that they had to pay In silver for about
tlree-fifths of their purchases, bartering
goods That were bought from traders Of
other countries for the balance
Statistics are now available for the
years 1918 to 1898. when we find that
the average American imports into
China were $3.s30,5S6 in silver, s2,121,-
725 in goods, Of which $307.s7b represent
cd the average import of opium. Ameri-
can exports from China averaged S6,-
45s,4e2. The British figures during the
same period were s19,025,601 imports
into China, out of which $6.51s,934 were
represented by opium. Exports from
China averaged $16,57S,367.
1t must be remembered that at that
time the foreign trade OF China passed
through Canton in its entirety, Canton
being the only open port" 1t was only
after the signature of the treaty Of
Nanking in 1912, subsequent to the
British campaign in central China, that
Hongkong was ceded to Great Britain,
and Annoy, Foochow, Ninspo and Shang-
hal were opened to foreign trade. The
northern ports have been opened during
the past few decades.
Enormous Growth of Trade.
1t would not be within the scope Of
this article to give details OF the inter-
vening period up to 1909. when statistics
lose their historical interest but ac-
qnire instead actual significance for U.S.
The average volume Of the trade -sf
China has grown from the $50,000,000
of about eighty years ago to nearly
81. 900, 900 900 for the period 1909-191S,
This enormous growth may appear to
some nothing short of marvellous. and It
is so II only the absolute expression OF
value is considered. But comparatively
speaking, and not losing sight of the
enormous resources OF the country, the
vastness of territory. it's immense wealth
and population, we cannot fail to recog-
rize that the trade OF China Is still in
an undeveloped state.
1t Is sufficient to remember that the
total foreign trade OF the United States
amounted last year to $9,1S0,697, ,36S,
nine times more than the average total
foreign trade of China for the last ten
years. The population of the United
States is only one-quarter Of that of
China, while China affords the same
possibilities of quick development.
/ wish to go a step farther, and I
want the American business man to
Auls ~
United States with China as appearing
in the tables prepared by the Far East
ern division, Bureau of Foreign and
Domestic Commerce. was roughly $780,
100000 in 1913, or only 2A per mile
of the total. To be accurate, China was
represented with the sum of one dollar
in every four hundred and forty-flve
dollars OF American foreign trade.
There is plenty of room for improve
nent, and 1t must be admitted that the
possibilities OF the China field have been
sadly neglected by the Americans.
The volume Of the foreign trade OF
China in 1913 was roughly s1,250,00O,-
600. The balance of trade was and
has practically always been slightly
against China. In 1918 1t amounted to
about $s0,000.Oo0, represented to a great
extent by imports OF arms and ammu-
morphia, cocaine and similar
drugs that are entering China through
some OF the leased territories" and
that are meant to replace the banished
opium.
The volume of. trade Of 1873 consti-
tutes n record, and it Is OF interest to
note that 1t has increased steadily every
year notwithstanding adverse conditions
created by the European war internal
discussions and the high rate ofs ex-
change, The trade of China. in fact, is