§ 1 and 2. Mr. Ellis Smithasked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will make a statement on the prospects of trade with China;
(2) what special mutual arrangements are to be made to increase and accelerate the exports of engineering equipment and civil engineering plant to China.
§ The President of the Board of Trade (Sir David Eccles)The prospects depend mainly on the trading policies of the Chinese authorities. Recent trade confirms the forecast made by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary during the Adjournment Debate on 3rd December last, that we may expect to see a steady but not a sudden or spectacular increase. I am not sure what mutual arrangements the hon. Member has in mind.
§ Mr. Ellis SmithWhile accepting that that is an encouraging reply, may I ask 978 the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now consider taking further steps so that Britain may benefit from the prospects of trade with China? Does he accept that other countries are getting in before us? Does he also agree that there is enormous good will for Britain in China? Has not the time arrived when we should capitalise upon that good will?
§ Sir D. EcclesI have no information that other countries are getting in front of us. We are exchanging purchasing missions. The Chinese have sent a mission here which I believe has been successful, and we are arranging an exhibition of British goods in Pekin in 1960.