§ 57. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the President of the Board of Trade how the figures of our trade with China, excepting Hong Kong, compared in the first three months of this year with the first three months of last year and of 1914; and the outlook for the early improvement of our China trade?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERThe answer is somewhat long and contains a table of figures. Perhaps the hon. and gallant Member will accordingly agree to my circulating it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYI am much obliged to the right hon. Gentleman. Will he answer the last part of my question?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERAs regards the last part of the question, any considerable improvement in our trade with China must depend on a re-establishment of order in that country, and I am not in a position to make any statement as to the prospects of this.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The following table shows the trade of the United Kingdom with China (exclusive of Hong Kong, Macao and leased territories) in the first three months of each of the years 1914, 1926 and 1927.
| January to March. | Total Imports consigned from China. | Exports of United Kingdom Produce and Manufactures consigned to China. | Exports of Imported Merchandise consigned to China. | |
| Thousand | Thousand | Thousand | ||
| £ | £ | £ | ||
| 1914 | … | 956 | 4,944 | 41 |
| 1926 | … | 3,358 | 5,712 | 114 |
| 1927 | … | 3,319 | 3,549 | 26 |
§ It may be mentioned that the value of the British exports consigned to Hong Kong amounted to £1,131,000 in the first three months of 1914, and to £884,000 and £1,181,000, respectively, in the corresponding periods of 1926 and 1927. The proportions of these goods which were further shipped from Hong Kong to China were not ascertained.