§ 29. Sir ROBERT THOMASasked the President of the Board of Trade what statistics he has of British trade with China since the establishment of the Nanking Government in power; can he state the figures of aggregate tonnage and value in sterling; and of what commodities does the trade principally consist?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Herbert Williams)The answer includes a table of figures, and I would propose with the hon. Member's concurrence to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Sir R. THOMASCan the hon. Gentleman give us some indication as to the improvement in our trade with the new China?
§ Mr. WILLIAMSYes, Sir. For the last quarter of 1928, there was a substantial improvement as compared with the preceding quarter.
§ Sir R. THOMASWhat does the hon. Gentleman mean by "substantial"?
§ Mr. WILLIAMSI have not the exact figures with me, but they show an
§ The following table shows the total declared value of merchandise imported into and exported from the United Kingdom registered as consigned from and to China and Hong Kong (excluding Macao and leased territories) from 1st October to 31st December, 1928. I am unable to state the aggregate tonnage of these goods.
| Countries from or to which consigned. | Total Imports. | Exports. | |
| Produce and Manufactures of the United Kingdom. | Imported Merchandise | ||
| £ | £ | £ | |
| China (exclusive of Macao and leased territories). | 3,166,365 | 5,353,996 | 42,596 |
| Hong Kong | 173,716 | 1,327,608 | 27,218 |
| Total | 3,340,081 | 6,681,604 | 69,814 |
| Full particulars of our trade with individual countries are only available for calendar years, and the particulars of our trade with China in 1928 have not yet been ascertained. The information with respect to 1927 is, however, shown on pages 326 to 337 of Volume IV of the Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom for that yea'. Among the principal articles are the following:— | |||
| Imports from China: eggs, tea, soya beans and their oil, bristles, raw silk, bides and skins, camels' hair; | |||
| Exports to China: cotton piece goods and other cotton manufactures, woollen and worsted tissues and other manufactures, machinery, iron and steel and manufactures thereof, tobacco, chemicals. | |||
| I may add that British exports to China in the last quarter of 1928 showed a sub-tantial recovery compared with preceding quarters. |