Whereas the percentages of import and export trade handled by Shanghai last year wore 60.70 and 51.55 Fespectively, the proportion for the first five months of the current yeat Was in each ense little more than 23, er cent. In the meantime the per centage of import trade passing through Kowloon, which lies close to 'Hongkong in the' south has advanced from 4.95 0 31.85. And Canton, another southern port, dealt with over 20 per cent. of the' export trade compared with only 545 per cent. uring the frst five months of 1987.
Considering the severity of the war and the fall in commodity' prices since last year, China's foreign trade has shown remarkable buoyancy, the decline in turnover being utile more than 30 per cent, "compared with 7 per cent. for Shanghai. White et imports from January-May last year amounted to $491,330,229 (£16,- 009 at.the current rate of $1 equals 8d) and exports to $396,020.242 (213,- 270,000), leaving an import' surplus 6 $98,309,842 (£3,110000), the import surplus this year was only $124.226,- G6, (£4,140,000), "imports "totalling $972446.009 and exports $248,220 023 For the Shanghai trade the imports during "the frst six months of the current year aggregated only $104,-
Having sketched briefly the problems which confront the eommereia! fnaneial and industrial community it Shanghai it only remains to detail some of the chief British companies involved, according to the classifica tion mentioned above.
Among those whose business is concentrated in Shanghai are Behr (8) and Mathew (egg exporters) Jand China Egg Produce Company, which have both suffered from their inability to obtain goods from. the interior of China. "Public utilities include Shanghai Waterworks, Shanghai Electric Construction Company jand Shanghai Power Company, Because it provides an essential public service the waterworks company is believed to have received good treat brent from the Japanese, though the company has suffered' from. the teneral damage to property and has had trouble in collecting its rates from certain quarters ie Power Company's sales have been affected by the decline of commercial demand, though domestic requirements are believed to have! been fairly well maintained. Shang-tai Electric Construction Company, which operates tramways, has" had lis" routes. interfered with by the Japanese in certain quarters of the city, "though normal' services are! being operated in the International In the second class of compantes—including those whose interests: lie principally in China but whose: Shanghai trade is partially replace-noble elsewhere—are Jardine Matheson jand the Hongkong and Shanghai Bonk. The former cancer, which Jearries on business as general mer-Jchants and agents, owns Ewo Silk Filature, Ewo Press Packing and Ewo
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.