COMMUNIST CHINA'S IMPORTS AND EXPORTS, 1955: TRADE AND TRANSPORT INVOLVED (EIC-R1-S5)

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• Publication Date: September 6, 1956
• Content Type: REPORT

SECRET Y~+
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IAC-D-42/12. 3
6 September 1956
Communist China's Imports and Exports, 1955:
Trade and Transport Involved
(EIC-RI-S5)
1. The attached report, subject as above, has been received
from the Chairman of the EIC in accordance with paragraph C, 2 of
his letter to the IAC of 19 March 1956 (IAC-D-42/12, 20 March 1956).
This paper is now submitted for IAC approval, following approval b
the EIC,
25X1 C
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1O
COMMUNIST CHINA'S IMPORTS AND EXPORTS, 1955:
TRADE AND TRANSPORT INVOLVED
(EIC-Rl-S5)
Approved by EIC Working Group
29 August 1956
Approved by Economic Intelligence Committee
6 September 1956
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:Table of Contents
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . .
.
.
i
I. Summary of Major Developments During 1955 .
.
1
II. Over-all Values of Trade . . .. . . . ..
.
6
A. Communist China's Total Trade . .
.
.
6
I. The Level and Direction of Trade. . .
.
..
6
2. The Balance of Trade .. . . . . . . .
.
7
Tradewith.Bloc Countries . .. . . . .
1. Trade with the USSR . . .
.
.
8
2. Trade with the European Satellites .
..
. .
9
3. Trade with Far Eastern Satellites,.
9
C. Trade with Non.-Bloc. Countries . . . . .
. .
10
1. General . . . . . ... . . .
.
10
2. Imports . . . . . . . . . . .
.
.
10
a. Recorded. Imports . . . . .
.
.
10
b. Unrecorded Imports . . . . . . .
.
. .
15
Exports . .. .. . . . . . . .. . .. .
. .
18
a. Recorded Exports . .. .. . . . .
18
b. Unrecorded Exports . . . . . .
. ...
20
III, Value. and Volume of Principal Trade Movements .
25
,A. Total Chinese Coroun.ist Trade .
25
1. Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . .. .
. . .
25
2. Total Imports . . . . . . . .
. . ..
25
3. Total Exports . . . . . . . . .
.
25
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Table of Contents
Continued
Page
B. Trade with Non-Bloc Countries . . . . . . . . 28
1. Imports
28
30
2. Exports . . . . . . . . . . .
C. Trade with the Soviet Bloc .
32
1. Trade with the USSR . . . . . . . . . . . 32
a. Imports from. the USSR . . . . .. . . . 32
b. Exports to the USSR . 34
2. Trade with the European Satellites . . 36
Total Trade . . . . . . . . ... . 36
b. Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
c. Exports . . . . . . . . .. . . 38
3. Trade with the Far Eastern'Satellites . 40
a. Trade with North Korea . . . . . . . 4O
b. Trade .with North Vietnam . . . 40
c. Trade with Mongolia . . . . . 41
IV. Transport and Transport Services . . . . . . 42
A. Ocean Shipping . . . . . . 42
1. Summary . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 42
2. Non-Bloc Shipping Review . . . . . . . 44
a. Arrivals . . . . . . . ... .. . . 44
b. Departures . . . . . . . . . 46
3. Bloc Shipping, Review . . . . . . . . . 47
a. Arrivals . .. . . . .. . . . . . . 47
b. Departures . . . . . . . ... . 48
c. Routes Employed . .. . . . . . . . 48
Utilization of 'Capacity of Shipping Engaged
in Communist China's Seaborne Trade
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Table of Contents
Continued
B.
Assistance to the Sino-Soviet Bloc by
C.
Non-Bloc Shipping and Shipping; Services . . . .
1. Significance of Non-Bloc Shipping,in
the China Trade . . . . . . . . .
2. Bunkering . . . . . . . . . . . .
3. Non-Bloc Deliveries of Merchant Ships to
the Sino-Soviet Bloc . . . . . . . . .
4+. Non-Bloc Repairs to Soviet Bloc Vessels .
Interior Transport Connections for Communist
China Ts Foreign Trade . . . . . . . . . . .
52
52
54
55
56
1. Interior Transport Connections Utilized
During 1955 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
60
2. Significant Developments During 1955 and
.Early 1956 . . . . . . .. . . ... . . .
60
a. Railroads . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . .
60
b. Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . .
62
c. Inland Waterway . . . . . . . . . . . .
62
d. Air . . . . . . ... . . . . . . .
62
Appendix
A.
The Value and Direction of Trade . . . . . .
63
B.
The Composition of Communist China's
Imports, 1953-55 . . . . . . . . . . . .
66
C. Communist China's Exports . . . . . . . .
68
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Ocean Cargoes Arriving at or Departing from Communist
Chinese Ports
2. Summary of Communist China's Estimated Imports,. 1955 2
3. Surmazy of Communist China.'s Estimated Exports, 1955 3
4. Recapitulationo.f Estimated Value and Distribution' of
'Communist China's Foreign Trade,. 1954 and.1955 7
5. Estimated Balances of Chinese Imports and Exports, 1955 8
6. Estimated Chinese Communist Trade with Far Eastern
Satellites 9
Value of'Recorded Chinese Communist Imports from Non-
Comniunist Countries, 1955 11
Page
Value of Semi-Annual Recorded Chinese Communist Imports
from Various Non.-Communist Areas., 1954-1955
13
Estimated Commodity Composition of Recorded Chinese
Communist Imports from Non-Communist Countries, 1950-1955 11i
10. Transshipments of Western Goods through Gydtia
11. Value of Semi-Annual Recorded Chinese Communist Exports
to Various Non-Communist Areas, 195+-1955
Value of Recorded Chinese Communist Exports to Non-
Communist Countries,, 1955
13. Summary of Communist China's Estimated Trade and Trade
Movements (By Estimated Actual Origin and Destination
of Shipments)
14. Communist Chinese and Macao Recorded Imports from Hong. Kong
by Volume, 1955
15. Communist Chinese Recorded Exports to Hong Kong, by
Volume, 1955
19
26
29
31
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Tables
(Continued)
Page
16.
Approximate Distribution of Estimated. Overland Imports
from USSR, by Type of Commodity and by Means of Transport,
1955
17.
Approximate Distribution of Estimated Overland Exports.to
USSR., by Means of Transport, 1955
36
18.
Communist Chinese Seaborne Imports. originating from
European.Satellites, 1955
37
19.
Total Direct plus: Transshipped Communist Chinese Seaborne
Exports to European Satellites, 1955
39
20.
Total Arrivals in Communist China, 1951 through 1955
42
21.
Arrivals in 1955 of Liners Owned by Eleven. Western Companies
45
22.
The Changing Pattern of Soviet Bloc Arrivals
48
23.
POL Tanker Shipments to Soviet Far East and to Communist
China,. 1952-1955
-9
24.
Utilization of Shipping Capacity Involved in Communist
Chinese Seaborne Trade, 1955
51
25.
Ships and Services ,Acquired by the Soviet Bloc from the West
during 1955
56
26.
Percentage Distribution of Chinese Trade, 1950-55, In Percent
of Total Trade
.65
27.
Estimated Foreign Trade of Communist China, 1950-55
65
28.
Estimated Value of Communist Chinese Imports and Exports,
1950-55
66
29.
Commodity Composition of Communist Chinese Exports, 1950,
1953 and 1955
69
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Sla,ipping :Graphs.
Merchant Ship Arrivals in Communist China, 1951-1955
Merchant Ship Arrivals in Communist China, by Country of
Registry, 1955
Origin of Merchant Ship Arrivals in Communist China,
195+-1955
Merchant Ship Departures from Communist China, 1955
Destination.. of 'Merchant Ship Departures.. from Communist
China, 195+-1955
Non-Biac Merchant Ships in Chinese Communist Coastal.
Trade, 1955
Following
fage
44
46
4.6
53
5o,Be Inserted in Final Printed copy On1f
Illustrations
Figure 1 Estimated Imports by Communist China from Non-Bloc Countries
Figure 2 - Soviet Bloc and Non-Bloc Registered Shipping Arriving in
Communist Chinese Ports, January 1951 - December 1955
Maps
Nap 1 - Communist China: Railroads and Selected Roads
.NOTE ' ON CLASSIFICATION
The over-all classification of this report is
SECRET. Some pages, however, are classified
CONFIDENTIAL and are so designated.
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COMMUNIST CHINA'S IMPORTS AND EXPORTS, 1955:
TRADE AND TRANSPORT INVOLVED
1. Summary of Major Developments During 1955
A. The Level of Trade (see Tables 2 and 3, pp. 2.and 3 ff..)
Communist China's foreign trade in 1955 is estimated at approximately
$4,485 million as compared with $3,450 million in 1954 - an overall in-
crease of thirty per cent. Of this total, however, $620 million is
believed to have represented the acquisition. under a special loan from
the USSR-of facilities and military equipment already physically located
in.China"prior to 1955 -- therefore not reflecting any current movement
of .goods. Another $120 million. consisted of exports under Chinese aid
programs to North Korea and the Viet Minh. Only the remaining $1,865
million of imports and. $1,880 million of exports represented current
commercial trade. Trade with all areas (except for Chinese aid to North.
Korea) increased over 1954 levels.
The tonnage volume of Communist Chinats trade in 1955 is estimated
to have totalled over 13,pillion metric tons, made up of some .4.2
million tons of imports (primarily machinery, petroleum, and other in-
dustrial materials) and 8.9,million tons of exports (primarily agricul-
tural products and minerals). Of this total tonnage, about 6..6 million.
tons were seaborne and some 605 million tons were shipped overland.
A,comparison of total ocean cargo movements from 1952 through 1955
shows a steady year-by-year increase:
Ocean Cargoes Arriving at or Departing
from Communist Chinese Port s
1952-1955
(Thousand Metric Tons.)
1952 1953 1954 1955
(EIC-R1-S2) (EIC-Rl-83) (EI C R1s4) (E.I-S5)
Seaborne Imports
1,098
1,52
1,583
.2,004
Seaborne Exports
1,926
3,288
3,550
4,585
Total Seab?rne Cargoes
3,024
4,814
5,133
6,589
a/ Includes Chinese imports moving by small craft and overland to ,Communist
China from Hong Kong and/or Macao - since most of these had arrived
in the Far East by sea.
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Figure 1 and Figure 2 are the usual graphics
which. will be inserted in the final printed
edition of the EIC-Rl Series.
Figure 1 "ESTIMATED IMPORTS BY COMMUNIST
CHINA FROM NON-BLOC COUNTRIES,
1951-1955"
Figure 2 - "SOVIET BLOC AND NON-BLOC
REGISTERED SHIPPING. ARRIVING
IN COMMUNIST CHINESE PORTS.,
JANUARY 1951 - DECEMBER 1955"
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Summary of Communist China's Estimated Imports
1955
Volume of Shipments
(Thousand Metric Tons)
Seaborne
Overland
Total
(Million US, )
Non-Communist
Recorded;
1. Western Europe &
Western Hemisphere
617
617
119
2..Hong Kong
170
170
33
3. Japan
200
200
30
4. All other recorded
290
290
133
Subtotal, recorded
1,283
1,283
315
Unrecorded:
5. Western Europe
200
200
60
6. Macao
11
11
2.5
7. Hong Kong
7
5
8. Southeast Asia
57
57
11'
Subtotal, unrecorded
275
275
76
Adjustment.:
9.. Additional value
attributed by Chinese
Communists to their
Free World trade
29
Total, non-Communist
1,552
1,552
420
Communist
10.
USSR
32
1,84o
1,872
940
11.
USSR Special Loan
620 b/
12.
European Satellites
420
180
600
450
13.
North Korea & Mongolia
200
200
40
14.
North Vietnam
20
20
15
Total, Communist
452
2 24o
2,692
Grand Total
2,
2
485 b/
a Some of these imports moved overland but most of the commodities involved
had arrived i the Far East by sea.
b/ Anestimated.1620 million of facilities and military equipment acquired by
China under a special loan were physically located in. China prior to 1955,
and therefore did not contribute any tonnage movements to the volume of
Chinese import traffic.
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Table 3
Summary of Communist China's Estimated Exports
1955
Volume of Shipments
(Thousand Metric Tons)
V
l
a
ue of Trade
Seaborne Overland
-Total
(Millions US, )
Non-Communist
1. Western Europe and
Western Hemisphere 370
'
370
121
2. Hong Kong
2/ 133
858
991
107
.
3 Macao 65 W
65
5
4. Japan 1, 221
11221
85
5. All other recorded 161
161
102
6. Unrecorded exports
5
7. Adjustment for add-
itional value attri-
buted by Chinese Com-
munists to their Free
World trade
Subtotal, Non-
Communist 2,675 133
2,788
455
Communist
8.
USSR 615 2,645
3,260
920
9.
European Satellites 1,260 c,/ 295
1,555
450
10.
North Korea and
Mongolia 1,200
1,200
125
11.
North Vietnam 35 25
.60
50
Subtotal, Communist 1,910 4,165
.6,075
1,545
Grand Total 4,585 .4,298
8 883
2,000
a/ Includes 633,000 tons in vessels under 1,000 gross registered tons (GRT).
Exports to Macao moved largely in junks and launches.
c/ Includes an estimated 547,000 tons which reached the European Satellites
through Western European ports.
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The trend toward increased Bloc participation in communist China's
foreign trade continued in l9555when the Bloc accounted for more than
four-fifths of total Chinese trade. Total trade with the Free World
increased more than 25% over 1954, however, (see Figure 1) ands.
reflected'%p a rise in unrecorded as well as in recorded. imports.
Unrecorded imports in 1955 were about $76 million, as compared with an
estimate of $50 million for 1954 ($93 million for 1953). Chinese
Communist efforts to.obtain strategic goods through smuggling, channels
v'iaKongKong and Macao noticeably slackened in both 1954 and 1955 as
compared with earlier years. On the other hand transshipments of
strategic goods of Western European origin through Bloc ports in Eastern
Europe apparently increased nearly one-half in 1955 as compared with
1954. These unrecorded imports represented about 17 percent of Com-
munist China's total imports from non-Bloc countries.
B. Transport and Transport Services
1. Shipping
There was an increase of almost 20% in the gross registered
tonnage of the ships arriving in China in 1955,, compared tp';1954. Com,
munist China continued to be heavily dependent on non-Bloc shipping,
which accounted for 81% of the tonnage of all 1955 arrivals. (See
Figure 2) Slightly over half of the non-Bloc tonnage was under British
flag; another quarter was Japanese, Dutch and Norwegian; and the re-
mainder was divided among thirteen other Free World. countries. Bloc
shipping arrivals were composed of Soviet, Polish, and Czech ships
(60%, 35% and 5% of the tonnage respectively). Chinese ships carried
no ocean-borne trade except a small export to North Vietnam. China,
however, shares control with Poland over the services provided by Polish
vessels on the China run, although the details of the particular arrange-
ments involved are difficult to determine.
The general pattern of non-Bloc shipping movements was relatively
little changed in 1955 over 1954. There were, however, noticeable changes
in the 1955 pattern of Bloc shipping arrivals, particularly a sharp
increase in the number of tankers from Europe which unloaded P.O.L. in
the Soviet Far East before proceeding in ballast to.China to pick up
return cargoes. Thus 59% of Bloc ships arriving in China came from the
Soviet Far East, but .only 39% of Bloc ships leaving China went to that
area.
The shipping tonnage in Communist China's foreign trade during
1955:by geographic area of origin and destination of voyages' was
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distributed substantially as indicated in the following table:-
ORIGIN AND DESTINATIONS OF SKIPPING TONNAGE IN
CHINA'S FOREIGN TRADE, 1955
Geographic Area
Origins
Destinations
(Per cent of Total
(Per cent of Total
G.R.T.)
G.R.T.)
Western Europe
27
29
Japan
24
20
Hong Kong
17
20
Bloc Europe
9
13
U.S.S.R. (Far East)
6
7
Other
17
11 .
100
100
2. Inland Transport Connections
Railroads continued to carry over 95% of China's overland
foreign trade. The Sungari River, a few roads and air transport carried
the small remaining balance. There have been two significant develop-
ments during 1955 and early 1956. The completion of the trans-Mongolian
railroad represents a valuable addition to the facilities for the movement
of trade between China and the U.S.S.R. The rehabilitation of railroads
in North Vietnam has improved transport connections between that area
and.China.
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II. Over-all Values of Trade
A. Communist China's Total Trade
1. The Level and Direction of Trade (1954 and 1955)
The magnitude of Communist China's foreign trade had been
estimated prior to last year largely from Communist trade announce-
ments, which had usually been stated in percentages and had never been
clearly defined. In July, 1955, however, the Chinese Minister of
Foreign Trade announced that the value of China's total imports and ex-
ports in 1954 was 8.487 billion yuan. This was the first time the
Chinese Communists had announced an absolute value for their total
foreign trade. Converting this yuan value into U. S. dollars through
use of a cross-rate with the pound sterling, results in an evaluation for
total Chinese trade in 1954 of $3,450 million. Since the Chinese have
stated at various times that 80 percent of their foreign trade in 1954
was with Bloc countries and 20 percent with Free World nations, the
corresponding values of 1954 trade would have been $2,760 million with
the Bloc and $690 million with the Free World.
During 1956 the Chinese Cozmmunists.have made several announce-
ments relating 1955 trade to levels in 1954 or earlier years. These in-
cluded statements that total trade increased 30% over 1954 and that
trade with the Free World increased by more than one--fourth over 1954-
In addition they announced a percentage relationship between trade with
the USSR in 1955 and corresponding trade in 1950 (in terms, apparently,
of the yuan value of trade on current account -- i.e., excluding any spe-
cial'aid credits). These announcements indicate a total value of 1955
.trade of $4,485 million,, a value for trade with the Free World of about
$875 million, and a value for trade with the USSR of $2,480 million.
The Chinese have not given any indication of the distribution of
their remaining trade (i.e., $1,130 million) as between the European
Satellites and the Far Eastern Satellites. The trade turnover with the
Far Eastern. Satellites may, however, be independently estimated at $230
million on the basis of intelligence, including a number of official
announcements. (Much of this trade consisted of deliveries by Communist
China under aid programs which have been rather fully reported by North
Korea and North Vietnam,) The remaining $900 million, therefore, pre-
sumably represents trade with the European Satellites. In summary, the
value and distribution of Communist China's foreign trade in 1955 as
compared with 1954 are estimated for principal trading.areas as follows:
Revised from R1-S ,
see Appendix$.p. 63 ff.
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Table 4
Recapitulation of Estimated
Value and Distribution of
Communist China's Foreign Trade
1-954 and 1955
Millions Percent
US Dollars of Total
1952
Millions Percent
US Dollars of Total
Total Trade
$3,450
100
$4,485
100
Less Non-Bloc Trade
-69o
-20
-18172
-19i5
Trade with Bloc
T62,7 0
70
-
3 1100
Of which:
USSR.
1,830
53
2,480
55.3
Far Eastern Satellites
240
7
230
5.2
European Satellites
690
20
goo
20
2. The Balance of Trade
The Chinese have made no statement regarding their trade balances
in 1955. Although ordinary trade with the Bloc under barter agreements
is estimated to have been roughly in balance, trade under long-term.
credit and aid agreements between China and the Bloc would have resulted
in a Chinese export deficit of approximately $520 million. In trade with
the Free World, however, China is estimated to have had an export surplus
of some $35 million, leaving a total net export deficit of about $485
million. The resulting estimates of total imports and exports are $2,485
million and $2,000 million, respectively. Although this estimate of the
overall trade balance is necessarily rough and tentative, the level of
exports indicated is not inconsistent with Chinese Communist press
reports of-their trade activities and of the volume of exports of their
major agricultural commodities.
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Table 5
Estimated Balances of
Communist Chinese Imports and Exports, 1955
Million US $
orts
ports
Total Trade
USS;?t
$1A 56Q.
$ 920
$2,480
European Satellites
1450
450
goo
Far Eastern Satellites
~
175 b/
230
Total Bloc
2,065
1,M
3
10
Free World
420
455
815
Grand Total
$2485
$z000
+
a~ Includ.es.Chinese acquisition of facilities and-military equipment as
specified in their 1955 budget.
Includes Chinese grants in aid to North.Korea and North Vietnam.
B. Trade with Bloc Countries
1. Trade with the USSR
It is estimated that Communist Chinese trade with the USSR in. 1955
amounted to $2,480 million, of which acquisitions of 'military equipment and
facilities under a loan from the USSR probably accounted for about one
quarter of the total.. In presenting the 1955 budget, the Chinese Minister
of Finance stated that the increase in budgeted income under Credits, Loans,
Insurance & Other was mainly because the USSR, in addition to turning over
to China without compensation the naval base at Port Arthur, also trans-
ferred to China "much. military equipment in the form of a loan." In June,
1956, the Chinese Minister of Finance presented a report on the 1955-56
budgets which indicated that these total Soviet loans were $620 million.
The remaining 1955 Sino.Soviet trade of $1,860 million is believed
to.have represented commercial trade. During 1955 Communist China may
have utilized about $50 million under the industrial loan of $130 million
which was extended in October, 1954, and probably made a payment of $30
million to the USSR as. required by the terms of the industrial loan of
1950. It is estimated, therefore, that Sino-Soviet commercial trade may
have shown. a Chinese import balance of $20 millionnwith imports from the
USSR of $940 million and exports to the USSR of $920 million.
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2. Trade with the European Satellites
Although no specific announcement has been made as to the pro-
portion of Chinese 1955 trade which was with the European Satellites,
specific indications have been given as to the value of over-all trade,
and as to the portions thereof accounted for by the Free World, the
USSR and the Far Eastern Satellites (see page 6 above) - leaving .a
residual of $900 million attributable to trade with the European Satellites.
This figure would represent about the same proportion of total trade as
in 1954 (i.e., about 20%). In the absence of any particular indications
otherwise, it is presumed that this trade was approximately in over-all
balance between imports and exports -- i.e., $450 million each way. As
to the distribution of this trade, various trade announcements. of the
individual satellite nations suggest that Chinese 1955 trade with East
Germany totalled about $250 million and that with Czechoslovakia about
$300 million. Trade with Poland, Hungary, Rumania, and Bulgaria would
have made up the remaining,$350 million-
3. Trade with Far Eastern Satellites
It is estimated that Coxrmmnist Chinese trade with Far Eastern.
Satellites during 1955 was about $230 million, representing a slight de-
cline from 1954. Chinese aid deliveries to North Korea in-1955 were
announced by the latter as $90 million ($30 million lower than that
announced for 1954). Barter trade with North Korea is reported to have
increased over 1954 and is estimated for 1955 as $25 million in each
direction. During 1955 estimated.Qhinese trade with North Vietnam plus
deliveries of Chinese aid totalled about $6p million, of which $15 million
were imports and $45 million exports. Communi.st.Chinese trade with the
Mongolian. Republic, while increasing, is still small and is estimated for
1955 as $15 million in each direction.
Table 6
Estimated Chinese Communist
Trade with Far Eastern Satellites
1955
Million us ,$
orts
Exports
North Korea
25
115
North Vietnam
15
45
Mongolian. Republic
15
15
55
175
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C. Trade with Non-Bloc Countries
From the trade returns of non-Communist countries, adjusted for
shipping lags and c.i.f.,costs, it is estimated that Communist China's
recorded trade with the Free World in 1955 included imports valued at
$315 million .c.i.f. and exports valued at $420 million f.o.b../ In
addition, intelligence data, indicates that Communist Chinae
imported from. the Free World some'$76 million of unrecorded imports and
exported some $5 million of unrecorded exports not reflected in the pub-
lished trade statistics of non-Bloc countries, raising total imports from.
the Free World to,$391 million end total exports.to $425 million.
This estimated total value of $816 million accounts for about
93 percent of the value apparentl ' indicated for Chinese Communist trade
with the Free World ($875 million by official Chinese Communist announce-
ments. The difference is small, and falls well within the range of error
to be expected from methods of valuation of Free World trade and/or the
computation of dollar values from official Chinese Communist trade data.
It is not believed, therefore, that there was any substantial additional
volume of Free World trade with Communist China which has not been iden-
tified in Free World trade returns or in intelligence on unrecorded
trade.
2. orts
a. Recorded Forts
The recorded value of Chinese Communist imports from non-
Bloc countries in 1955 rose to $315 million (see Table 7) as compared with
$273 million in 1954,.$280 million in. 1953 and $2.50. million in 1952.
Imports rose sharply in the second half of 1955, following.a rise in the
value of exports., suggesting a trend toward a higher level of total imports
in 1956 -- particularly from the Near East and South and Southeast Asia.
Since all transport services beyond China's borders are under non-
Chinese-Communist ownership, the Chinese must pay shipping charges
to their own borders.on all imports, and receive. only the net value
of exports .f.o.b. their own borders. Pre-Communist trade statistics
of China were calculated on this basis and it is believed the Com-
munists have continued the same practice.
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Table 7
Value of Recorded Communist Chinese Imports
from Non-Communist Countries a/
1955
Thousand US
1955, 1954
Jan -Jun Jul Dec Total Total
EUROPE, WESTERN IRI$1SPHERE
AND SOUTH AFRICA
Argentina
1,112
38:.
1,150
1,495
Austria
954
1,740
2,694
445
Belgium-Luxembourg,..
110.89
4,346
5,435
426
Brazil
128
4,544
4,672
2,938
Denmark
25
31
56
185
Finland
7,455
7,151
14,606
3,390
France
3,035
3,403
.6,438
8,379
West Germany
14,461
14,027
28,488
20,554
Italy
2,382
3,459
5,841
5,285
Netherlands
1,256
1,535
2,791
1,565
Norway
24
11
35
28
Sweden
812
734
1,546
632
Switzerland (c.i.f.)
7,863
2,705
10,568
41085
Union of South Africa
711
332
1,043
n.a.
United Kingdom
11,795
1o,961d
22,756~~
d
18,170a ~
United States
0
f
Canada
1,043
1.
1,057
47
10 percent adjustment
for c.i.f. (except
Switzerland)
4,628
5,233
9,861
6,35.4
Subtotal
58,773
60,267
119,040
73,984
* Footnotes for Table 7 follow.~on page 12.
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Table 7
Value of Recorded Communist 1xPorts
from Non-Communist Countries a
1955
(Continued)
Country
Thousand US
1955 1954
Jan~.Jun Jul-Dec Total Total
Australia
3,528
3,002
6,530
3,421
Burma
6,052
7,908
13,960
22
Ceylon
8,761
14,053
22,814
48,429
Egypt
7,588
15,493
23,081
11,389
Hong, Ong
20,958
10,185
31,143
67,154
Ind.i a/
7,187
8,642
15,829
5,798
Indonesia
2,907
3,314
6,221
1,014
Japan
14,592
13,960
28,552
19,109
Malaya
2,3
6
1,702
6,561
New Zealand
-Pakistan
2
7,414
27,111
34,525
26,189
5 percent adjustment
for c.i.f.
4,067
5,281
9,348
9,457
Subtotal
85,409
110,891
196,300
198,593
Total
144,182
1712158
315,340
272,577
As derived from published statistics of the non-Communist countries
concerned. The above table differs from Rl--S4 in 1954 data by the
addition of estimated trade with New Zealand.
Figures for countries of Western Europe, the Western Hemisphere, and
the Union.of South Africa are based on the assumption of a 2-months
voyage. They represent recorded exports for November 1954 through
October 1955. Figures for Australia, Burma, Ceylon, Egypt, Indonesia,
Malaya, India, New Zealand and Pakistan are based on the assumption
of a 1-month voyage -- i,e., they represent recorded exports for
December 1954 through November 1955. Figures for the remaining
countries are exports for the months shown in the table. All sta-
tistics were converted at the official exchange rates? exc pt Hong
Kong figures which were converted at an average rate of HK~ =
US$.1712 for the second half..
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c. Includes imports into Tibet during 1954 and the first half of 1955?
Data on imports into Tibet for the second half of 1955 are incomplete.
d. Represents U.S. shipments to Communist China under Exceptions pro-
cedures. For 1955 these shipments represented printed matter, far
1954 these shipments (including an auto) were for use of a diplomatic
mission of a friendly foreign country.
The value of recorded direct imports from Western Europe increased
by three-fifths over 1954, but this increase was offset by a nearly equal
decline in imports from Hong Kong. Since imports from Hong Kong had.c.onsisted
largely of transshipments of Western European products, these statistics
reflect primarily changes in the methods of shipment, rather than in the
levels of trade. Imports from Japan, after registering a sharp increase
in the second half of 1954, remained at this level throughout 1955.
Imports from other countries of the Near East and Asia, particularly from
Burma, Egypt, India, Pakistan, and Indonesia, increased sharply over 1954
levels, most of the trade occurring in the second half of the year. These
trends-are shown in the following tabulation:
Value of Semi-Annual Recorded Communist Chinese Imports
from Various Non-Communist Areas
1954-55
Million US ,$
Western Europe &
Western Hemisphere
Hong Kong
Japan
Near East
1954
January-
June 37
33
5
65
July-Dec
ember 37
37
15
44
1955
January-June 59
22
15
48
July-December 60
11
15
82
The commodity composition of Communist China's recorded imports
from the Free World changed somewhat in 1955 as compared with previous
years. Imports of drugs, crude rubber, and metals and machinery de-
clined to or below the lowest levels recorded in the previous five years.
But see comment :on pp. 14 and 15..ff:
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Imports of cotton and chemicals increased, the latter category, con-
sisting largely of fertilizer and industrial chemicals, reaching the
highest level recorded since 1950- Imports of other items also in-
creased sharply, the major imports in. the group consisting of wool,
textile yarns and fabrics, foodstuffs, coconut oil, paper, and jute.
The trends in the commodity composition of Communist China's imports
from the Free World are shown in the following tabulation:
Table 9
Estimated Commodity Composition of Recorded Communist Chinese Imports
from. Non-Communist Countries
1950-55
Million US
Year
Cotton
Rubber
Drugs
Chemicals
Metals,
Machinery
Other
1950
95
61
20
35
125
78
1951
41
110
25
65.
110
93.
1952
108
23.
25
40
20
34
1953
16
54
40
55
70
45
195+
42
47
20
80
25
59
1955
75 .
23 /
10
90
20
97
a But see comment below pp. 14 and 15 fu 4,a
Imports from Western Europe, Hong Kong, and Japan consisted largely
of industrial goods and raw materials. Chemicals (including fertilizers,
dyes, drugs, and industrial chemicals) accounted for 50 percent by value
of the imports from Western. Europe, 70 percent of the imports from Hong
Kong, and 63 percent.of the imports from Japan. Textile fibers and
fabrics accounted for 17 percent, 11 percent, and 21 percent, respectively,
of the value of imports from these three areas.; metals and manufactures
accounted for 9 percent, 7 percent, and 11 percent.
Imports. from Asia, Oceania, and the Near East, on the other hand,
consisted largely of agricultural products. Cotton consti- itu:ted;the bi;1k
of imports from Pakistan and Egypt, while imports from.. Ceylon consisted
chiefly of crude rubber. (The apparent decline in rubber imports from
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Ceylon results from the fact that, of the 50,000 tons scheduled for 1955
under the five-year rice-rubber agreement, about 5,000 tons arrived in
the last month of 195+ and about 15,000 tons in. the first quarter of
1956, so that the 1955 returns included only 30,000 tons of this contract
rubber plus. 1,000 tons of non=contract rubber..) Rice constituted the
bulk of imports from Burma, amounting to nearly 100,000 tons valued at
$12 million (excluding the additional 50,000 tons purchased by Counist
China but shipped direct to Ceylon in partial fulfillment of the Sing-
Ceylon rice-rubber agreement). Imports from. Indonesia consisted chiefly
of $3, million of coconut oil and $2 million of sugar; while imports from
Malaya consisted almost entirely of coconut oil. Imports from Australia
were largely wool tops, and the main imports from India were gunny bags
and raw cotton.
b. Unrecorded Imports
(1) Types of Unrecorded Imports
Evasions of CBINCOM and other official controls typically
take the form of false declarations of ultimate destination, thus facili-
tating the shipment of controlled goods to Communist China by circuitous
routes. When controls are circumvented or evaded in. this manner0 the
.exports involved are not identified in the trade statistics of the country
of origin as.exports to Communist China.
In Western Europe this form. of evasion typically takes
place through, the export of goods controlled by CHINCOM (but
not by COCOM) agreements to a free port --where transshipment of such
goods is not controlled -- followed by reconsignment to Gdynia where, in
turn"' the goods are transferred to a Soviet Bloceflag or chartered ship
loading for China. In such cases, the original export from the country
of origin to the country of transshipment is ordinarily authorized on the
explicit understanding that the latter country, or some other friendly
country, is to be the final destination. At the port of transshipment,
however, these goods are taken over by firms specializing in the re-
direction of controlled goods to Poland.
In some cases these indirect shipments are facilitated
by the intervention of a trader in a third country, who may finance the
transaction buying from. the country of origin and selling to China --
without himself handling the goods. The goods are exported from the
country of origin ostensibly for the intermediary, but are actually
consigned to a transshipment firm in a free port which will forward them,
at the intermediary's request to Poland in transit fort.China.
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In other instances, goods have been consigned from non-
Communist exporting countries directly to Poland, whence they were re-
directed to China. This technique is, of course, applicable only to
goods which are not embargoed by the exporting country for shipment to
European countries of the Bloc. In these cases the Polish. port may serve
merely as the point of transshipment, or the Poles may actually import
the goods for later re-export to China. There is clear evidence that
the circumvention of controls by such transshipment in Polish ports is
practiced on a substantial scale. The extent to which Soviet Bloc
countries may import goods from the. West for later re-export to China
cannot be assessed.
The techniques described above are used principally in
North Sea ports. There is some evidence that they are also being used
in Mediterranean ports and that similar devices are in use for overland
shipments to China from.. Switzerland via Czechoslovakia, and from West
Germany via East Germany.
Other devices in use for the circumvention of controls
include:, false, inadequate, or misleading description of goods destined
for Communist China; false declarations of destination by,.vessels sailing
for Co=nudist China; and local smuggling. There have also been. reports
of illegal use of import certificates and of fabricated (dual) manifests.
(2) Transshipment..s of Western Commodities through Soviet
Bloc Countries
Analysis of ship cargoes and other intelligence indicate
that substantial amounts of iron and steel and of other goods in CHINCOM
controlled categories were sold and shipped to Communist China but were
,not so recorded in. the trade returns of Western European countries.
Cargo"- estimates, based on the general composition. of all cargoes and the
known origins of over three-fourths of the shipments, indicate that
about 165,000 tons of. iron and steel and about 35,000 tons,of other
commodities in.CHINCOM controlled categories represented goods of
Western origin which were transshipped to China via Eastern European
ports (principally Gdynia) during 1955.
These tonnages, accordingly, represent a part of the
unrecprded 1955 imports of Communist China from Western Europe. On the
basis of estimated average prices, these transshipped 200,000 tons are.
valued at $57 million, made up of $28 million for iron and steel and
$29 million fort nonferrous metals, chemicals, petroleum instruments and
other commodities in controlled categories.
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Transshipments of Western Goods
through. Gdynia
Volume
Value
Tons
(000 US $)
POL
2,000
$ 120
Iron and steel
165,000
28,000
Nonferrous Metals
20,000
16,000
General industrial machinery
3,000
7,280
Chemicals and Drugs
10,Q00
8,600
2000
60 000
(3)
Unrecorded Trade From Honk Tong
There is still no firm intelligence on the volume of
smuggling from Hong Kong to China by small craft and overland, either
directly or via Macao. Intelligence suggests that such. smuggling
activities declined in 1953 and 195+, This down-ward trend continued
during most of 1955, but increased again toward the end of the year as.
the Chinese Communists apparently sought to secure commodities quickly
principally POL - in order to supply the Viet Minh. It is estimated,
therefore, that the volume of smuggling during 1955 remained at 7,000
tons., or the same level as in 1951+,.but that the value declined to about
$2.5 million because of changed composition.
(f+) Unrecorded Trade from Macao
There are no published official trade statistics on
Macao's exports to Communist China in 1955. Such exports appear to have
declined sharply from those of previous years, when strategic commodities
were carried via Macao by Portuguese vessels. Such traffic appears to
have ended in 1955? In 1955, Hong Kong's recorded exports to Macao
totalled 70,000 tons valued at approximately $10 million. Of these
exports,, strategic goods amounted in value to slightly more than. $1
million, up to one-half of which may have been re-exported to Communist
China. In. addition, official unpublished information from Macao indi-
cated that exports of non,-strategic goods to Communist China in 1954
approximated 7,000 tons valued at $2 million, and it is believed that
1955 exports may have been of similar magnitude.
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(5) Unrecorded Trade from Southeast Asia
Unrecorded shipments of 7,000 tons of rubber)( from
Indonesia to Communist Chin J valued at $6 million, are known to have
occurred in 1955. These shipments were ostensibly exported to another
destination, but were actually delivered to Communist China.
During 1955, Communist China imported about 50,000
tons of rice from. Burma which were resold to Ceylon and actually moved
directly from Burma to Ceylon on Chinese account. This rice, valued at
$5 million, appeared on Burmese trade returns as an export to Ceylon
rather than as an export to Communist China, but it is believed that
the Chinese Communists probably recorded it as. both an import from
Burma and. a re-export to Ceylon.
(6) Recapitulation
Communist China's total unrecorded imports in 1955
are therefore estimated as follows:
Metric Tons
Million US $
Transshipments,
Western Europe
200,000
60.0
From Hong Kong
7, 000
2.5
From Macao
11,000
2.5
From Southeast Asia
M-20-00
11.0
2 .z oo
76.0
3. :arts
a. Recorded Exports
Communist China's exports to the Free World recorded by non-
Bloc countries rose sharply in 1955 to. $420 million (see Table 11), as
compared with $297 million in 1954, $323 million in 1953, and $270
million in 1952. The exports showed a stable trend during the year,
reaching nearly $206 million in the first half and over $214 million in
the second half of 1955.
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Exports to Hong Kong and the industrial nations of Western.
Europe and Japan rose sharply in 1955, accounting for almost all of the
increase. Of exports to other countries, there was a decline in the
direct exports of rice to Ceylon, but this was. offset by generally
increased exports to other countries of the Near East and Asia. These
trends are shown in the following tabulation;
Value of Semi.'Annual Recorded Communist Chinese Exports.
to Various Non-Commmist Areas
1954-55
Million US
Western Europe &
Western Hemisphere Hong Kong Japan.. Near East Total
1954
January-June 40 23 17 51 131
July-December 47 44 22 52 165
1955
January-June
61
48
38
59
206
July-December
60
59
39
56
214
Exports to non-Communist countries consisted about 45
percent, by value, of foodstuffs (including rice, other cereals, vege-
table oils for food use, eggs, fruits, vegetables, pulses, and tea), 33
percent of oilseeds and other agricultural raw materials (such as textile
fibers, essential oils, skins and pelts, tung oil, and miscellaneous
crude. materials), and 22 percent of a variety of miscellaneous goods
(mainly ores, minerals and products of light industry).
Western Europe and the Western Hemisphere received nearly 30
percent, by value,. of all exports to non-Communist. countries., of which
about one-fifth. represented foodstuffs and another three-fifths oilseeds
and other agricultural. raw materials. Somewhat over 25 percent of all
recorded exports went to Hong Kong, of which food items were about two"
thirds by value and miscellaneous light-industrial goods nearly one-
fifth... Exports to Japan. were somewhat less than 20 percent of the total,
and included oilseeds (38 percent), food (30 percent), ores. and minerals.
(14.percent), and other raw materials from agriculture (most of the
remainder). Exports to other areas were constituted largely of food,
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and of light-industrial exports (the bulk of which went to South and
Southeast Asia).
b. Unrecorded EUorts
In addition to recorded exports there were 50,000 tons of
Burmese rice valued at $5 million which were purchased by the Chinese
Communists. but shipped directly from Burma to Ceylon. It is believed
that the Chinese recorded these rice shipments both as imports from
Burma and as exports to Ceylon.. No allowance has been made in this
paper for opium or other narcotics exports, since intelligence indicates
that any earnings from this source would be relatively insignificant.
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Value of Recorded Communist Chinese Exports
to Non-Communist Countries
1955 a/*
Thousand US$
1955
.
Country
Jan-June
July-Dec.
Total
Total
EUROPE, WESTERN HE TBl PHERE
AND SOUTH AFRICA _J
Austria
453
556
1,009
878
Belgium-Luxembourg
961
1,162
2,123
2,058
Canada
1,909
2,381
4,290
1,541.
Colombia
13
18
31
311
Denmark
.69
126
195
30
Finland
2,819
764
3,583
2,953
France
4,949
7,053
12,002
8,972
West Germany
23,781
22,136
45,917
37,688
Italy
1,781
3,092
4,873
2,182
Mexico.
206
130
336
354
Netherlands
5,231
3,293
8,524
6,306
Norway
713
1,841
2,554
2,439
Sweden
1,333
1,140
2,473
1,159
Switzerland
10,227
8,839
19,066
10,599
Union of South Africa
464
559
1,023
n.a.
United Kingdom
16,870
16,799
33,669
25,664
United States
102
125
227
170
15 percent adjustment for
c.i.f. (except for the
US and Canada)
-10,481
-10,126
-20,607
-15,239
Subtotal
61,400
59,888
121,288
88,o65
*Footnotes for Table 12 follow on pp. 22, 23.
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Table 12
Value of Recorded Communist Chinese Exports,
to Non-Communist Countries
1955 8./
(Continued)
Thousand US
1955
1954
Country
July-Dec.
Total
Total
NEAR EAST, ASS
AND. OCEANIA
Australia
2,019
2,691
4,710
3,878
Burma
1
4,521
4,522
306
Ceylon
10,855
6,016
16,871
8
8
32,26o 818
Egypt
459
1,359
1
1,
French Morocco
11,708
5,265
16,973
12,493
French West Africa
1,171
349
1,520
1,156
India I/
3,880
3,875
7,755
4,922
Indonesia
5,377
5,572
10,949
4.1228
Japan
39,880
40,901
80,781
40,770
Macao
2,580
2,500
5,o8o
5, 542
Malaya
17,563
21,007
38,570
29,108
New Zealand
326
500
826
628
Pakistan
248
146
3.94
1,375
Philippines
188
.200
388
945
Taiwan
862
1,062
1,924
3,411
Vietnam e/
4,303
4,500
8,803.
8,381
5 percent adjustment for
c.i.f. except for the
Philippines
-5,062
-5,013
-10,075
-7,464
Subtotal.
96,358
95,451
191,809
9
142,757
Hong Kong f/
48,ooo
59,300
107,300
66,700
TOTAL
205 758
214,639
4202397
297,522
a Data derived from published statistics of non-Communist countries con-
cerned. Most countries report their imports by country of original origin
so that a portion of their imports recorded "from China"'were actually
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Table 12
Value of Recorded Communist Chinese Exports
to Non-Communist Countries
1955
(Continued)
purchased from other intervening owners. For example., the exports recorded
above to Taiwan were all resold transshipments, and the "exports" to the US
included such items as art objects which may have left China years: ago.
Second-half 195+ figures are revised to reflect complete data for the year
and therefore differ slightly in some cases from those found in EIC-RI-S14
Data for the first half of 1955 are complete. for all countries; data for
the second half are complete except for Mexico, the Philippines, and
Vietnam which were. estimated from data for less than six months.
b. Figures for countries of Western Europe, Western Hemisphere, and the
Union of South Africa are based on the assumption of a two-month voyage
They represent recorded.imports for. March of the reported year through
February of'the following year. Figures for Hong Kong, Japan., Masao, the
Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam are recorded importer for the months shown
in the table.. Figures, for the remaining countries are based on a .one-month
voyage,, or imports of February of the reported year through January of the
following year.
c. Sugar imports-.from Taiwan amounting to US $1,223,000 were deducted
from. first half 195+ imports from Communist China as reportedin Ceylon's
trade statistics.
d. Includes India's exports to Tibet for 1954 and first half 'of 1955.
Data for the second half are incomplete.
e. The data for. 1954 refer to Indochina and presumably include trade
with South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. January May 1955 data are
reported in the source as imports. into North and South Vietnam. Starting
in June 1955 only imports into South Vietnam are reported presumably
excluding imports into Laos, Cambodia and North Vietnam.
f.. A deduction has. been made from Hong Kong's recorded imports from
Communist China to eliminate duplication resulting from the fact that
many countries (all listed countries except the UK, Belgium, Canada,
Denmark, the Netherlands, Egypt, Australia, India., New Zealand, and
the Philippines) record imports from Hong Kong of Chinese 'origin as.
imports from Communist China. In these cases, goods exported by
Communist China are recorded as imports both by Hong Kong and the
country of destination. For 1954 and 1955 the amount of this deduction
in million of US dollars' was.estimated as follows:
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Table 12
Value of Recorded Communist Chinese Exports
to Non-Communist Countries
1955
(Continued)
1955.
1954
January Jane July - December Total Total
Hong Kongtotal imports 69.4 84.8 1.54':2' . 118.8
from Communist China
Less; Estimated.re-
exports recorded. in
import data of other
countries as imports
from Communist China
Taiwan
049
1.1
2.0
3.4
Japan
5,. 9
6.9
12'..8
17.7
Malaya
6.3
6.6
12.9
13.6
Indonesia
0.9
1.5
2.4
2.2
Vietnam
1.1
2.1
3.2
3.0
Other
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'
13.6
_.6.9
12.2
_52.1
Hong Korg*s retained
imports from Communist
China and re-exports
not recorded in import
data of other countries
as imports from Communist
China
48.0
1Q7.3 66.7
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III. Value and Volume of Principal Trade Movements
A. Total Chinese Communist Trade
1. Introduction
The total vol=e of Communist China's 1955 trade is estimated
to have been 13.1 million tons, of which 51 percent has been established
from trade data and cargo 'estimates, 22 percent directly from other
-evidence, and 27 percent based primarily on estimated pricing~of
'residual values.
2. Total Imports
As indicated in Section II, above, total imports into Communist
China during 1955 are estimated at $2,485 million./ of which, however,
only $1,865 million represented actual 1955 movements of goods --
estimated-at some 4.2 million tons. Analysis of'cargoes indicates that
approximately $605 million, representing just over 2 million tons,, moved
by ocean shipping, leaving a balance of $1,260 million, representing some
2.2 million tons, which is:estimated to have moved overland.-- largely by
rail. (See Table 13, page 26, and the detailed discussions following.)
3. Total Exports
Communist China's exports during 1955 are estimated at $2,000
million, representing' some 8..8 million. tons.. These were made up.of an
estimated- $61t-5 million 'exported by ocean shipping, representing 4.5 million
tons, and a balance. of $1,355 million, representing 4.3 million tons, which
moved overland -- nearly. 980. by rail. (See Table 13, page 26, and the
detailed discussions following.)
This figure of $2,485 million includes an-estimated 620 million of
facilities and military equipment acquired by China under a special
loan from the USSR, which did not contribute any 1955 tonnage move-
ments to the volume of Chinese import traffic. (See Section II, B.. 1,
and Section II, C. 1. above.)
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Summary of Communist China's Estimated Trade and Trade Movements
(By Estimated Actual Origin and Destination of Shipments)
.1955
By Sea
Overland
Thousand Million
Metric Tons US Dollars
Thousand
Metric Tons
Million
US Dollars
Thousand
Metric Tons
Million
US Dollars
Imports From:
Non-Bloc 1,552 -C/
420
1,552
420
USSR - Trade 32
10
1,840
930
1,872
940
USSR - Special Loan a -
1
-
(620) a1
European. Satellites 420
175
180
275
600
450
North.Korea and Mongolia -
-
200
40
200
40
It
North Vietnam
20
15
20
15
IC]
N
Total 2,004
605
2,240
1,260
4,244
(2,485) a/
Its
Iy
Exports To:
Non Bloc 2,675
.430
133 E
25
24/
2,808
455
USSR 615
55
.2,645
865
3,260
920
European. Satellites 1,260
155
295
295
1,555
450
North Korea and Mongolia -
-
1,200
125
1,200
125
North Vietnam
35
5
25
45
60
50
Total
4,585
645
4,298
1,355
8,883
2,000
Grand Total
6,589
1,250
6,538
2,615
13,127
(4,485).a/
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Table 13
Summary of Communist Chin's Estimated Trade and Trade Movements
(By Estimated Actual Origin and Destination of Shipments)
1955
(Continued)
.a/ An estimated $620 million of facilities and military equipment acquired
by China under a special loan were physically located in China prior to
1955, and therefore did not contribute any tonnage movements to the
volume of'Chinese import traffic.
Based on.cargo'dataexcept for'Japanland Hong Kong, for which trade
return figures have been. used to supplement incomplete cargo data.
Includes. negligible tonnages which moved to China from Kowloon (Hong
Kong) by truck or over the Canton-Kowloon Railroad, or from. Macao via
smuggling through the.Kowloonarea. These ,goods, however, all arrived
in Hong Kong or Macao by sea from the West.
Represents exports. via truck and railroad to Kowloon (Hong Kong) of
commodities for consumption within the colony.
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B. Trade with Non-Bloc Countries
1. Im: orts
Import cargoes from non-Communist countries in 1955 totalled some
1.5 million tons., of which all but an insignificant amount moved by
ocean shipping. L This volume estimate is based on intelligence on
individual cargoes -- except for Japan and Hong Kong where trade statistics
were used to supplement incomplete cargo data.
Western Europe shipped about 817,000 tons of cargo to Communist
China in 1955 (including:an estimated 200,000 tons transshipped' via Bloc
ports in Europe in order to circumvent CHINCOM differential controls). Of
this total the principal items were fertilizer (380,000 tons), and iroh
and steel (170,000 tons, of which 165,000 were indirect transshipments).
Chemicals, machinery, and nonferrous metals were important items in the
remaining tonnage (267,000 tons).
About 140.,000 tons of seaborne cargo (excluding junk and'-river
steamer cargo) reached, Communist China.from Hong Kong, consisting,largely
of 126,000 tons of chemical fertilizers. The balance was made up of other
nhemicals,.machinery, and small tonnages . of 'miscellaneous items.
Japan exported about 200,000 tons.of cargo consisting mainly of
175,000 tons of'fertilizers, 10,000 tons of other chemicals, as well. as some
iron.and steel, nonferrous metals, machinery, and other products.
Cargo data indicate an estimated 290,000 tons of seaborne shipments
from other areas including 42,000 tons of 'rubber (33,000 from Ceylon,
2,000 from Burma, and. 7,000 of unrecorded exports. from Indonesia); 60,000
tons of'cotton, principally from Pakistan, Egypt, and India; 8,000 tons of
coconut oil from Ceylon, Malaya, and Indonesia; and 25,000 tons of fertilizer
from Canada. These figures differ somewhat from trade data, in that the
volume of cotton based on trade data totalled some 70,000 tons (including
6,500 tons from Brazil), and coconut oil and copra imports amounted to
31,000 tons, so that some of these tonnages apparently moved indirectly.
'Of this total about 88,000 tons reached China by small craft or overland
(via Hong Kong and Macao), but most of these=commodities had arrived. in
the Far. East by ocean shipping from the West.
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Table 14
Communist Chinese and Macao Recorded Imports from Hong Kong, by Volume a
January - December 1955
January - June
July - December
January - December
Method of Transport
China
Macao
Total
China
Macao
Total
China
Macao
Total
Oceangoing Vessels
71
1
72
69
1
70
14o
2
142
River Steamers
8
8
?
10
10
18
18
Junks
21
25
46
12
25
37
33
50
83
Launches
-
-
-
3
3
3
3
Total = Waterborne
92
34+
126
84
36
120
176
70
24+6
(Rail.and Road movements were insignificant)
a/ This table (compiled from Hong Kong official statistics) shows all recorded traffic from
Hong Kong to China and Macao including: (1) goods exported from Hong Kong, and (2) goods
exported to China from third countries via Hong Kong and transshipped there. It does not
include transit cargo -- i.e., cargo arriving in a ship calling at Hong Kong enroute for
China but not transshipped in the Colony. Data were reported in long tons but have been
converted to metric tons in the table above to facilitate comparison with metric ton
figures throughout the report.
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2. Exports
The volume of Chinese Communist exports to Free World'.countries,
transported chiefly by ocean shipping, totalled over 3.3 million tons --
including;about 550,000 tons of cargo arriving in Western ports for trans-
shipment to the Soviet Bloc. The remaining "'-L ill.ion tons are believed
to represent exports of Chinese goods for Western consumption.
Cargo data reveal that Western Europe. received about 920,.000 tons
.from Communist China in 1955, of which it is estimated nearly 550,000 tons
were transshipped to the European. Satellites.I/ and about 370,000 tons
.retained by Western European countries. It is estimated that this 370,000
tons included about 215,000 tons of soya beans, peanuts and other oil seeds,
70,000 tons of'other foodstuffs, 29,000 tons,of industrial oils, 20,000
tons of other agricultural products, 15,000 tons of 'non-ferrous ores, and
10,000 tons of textiles. The remaining 15,000 tons.of miscellaneous and
unidentified products was largely made up of miscellaneous chemicals and
handicraft products.
Of a total volume of 1,221,000 tons moving directly from Communist
China to Japan, salt amounted to about 630,000 tons, soya beans 200,000
tons, rice 12+,000 tons, nonferrous metals and ores 83,000 tons, and
miscellaneous agricultural raw materials 118,.000 tons.
Hong Kong shipping returns showed'exports from Communist China of
some 990,000 tons (See Table 15, page 31 f.) consisting mainly of foodstuffs,
agricultural raw materials, and construction materials. It is believed that
about two-thirds of the volume of these Chinese products were retained in
Hong Kong during 1955, the balance representing Hong Kong. reexports.
Cargodata indicate that the Near East, Africa, South.arid Southeast
Asia.received about 161,000 tons from Communist China during 1955. This
included 93,000 tons of rice and other cereals, 9,000 tons of soya beans,,
and other agricultural and light industrial products.
Included in the transshipments were about 2,10,000 tons of iron ore,.
200,000 tons.of soya. beans, and 50,000 tons of peanuts.
In view of the gaps in intelligence on ;cargoes from Communist China
to Japan and Hong Kong, official trade data have been used to supplement
cargo intelligence on tonnages shipped during 1955.
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Table 15
Communist Chinese Recorded Exports to Hong Kong, by VOlume..
January December 1955
Method',of Transport January -.June
July - December
January - December
Oceangoing Vessels
112
113
1225
River Steamers b/
Junks
236
363
599
Launches
14+
20
3.
Subtotal - Waterborne
362
496
858
Rail:
53
67
120
Road
6
7
13
Total - Waterborne
and Overland
421
MO
.991
a/
This table (compiled.from.Hong Kong official statistics) shows all
recorded traffic from China to Hong Kong including: (1) goods
imported into Hong Kong and (2) goods imported from China, destined
fora third country and transshipped at Hong Kong. It does not
include transit cargo. 'Data were reported in long tons, but have
been converted to metric tons in the table above to facilitate
comparison with metric ton figures throughout the report.
Nil or negligible.
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C.. Trade with the Soviet Bloc
1. Trade with the USSR
The value of total 1955 trade between China and the USSR has
been estimated as, $2,480 million. It is believed that $620 million of
this total represented facilities and military equipment acquired by China
under a special loan from the USSR and physically located in Communist
China and the Port Arthur area prior to 1955 -- so that they would not have
contributed any tonnage movements to the volume of. Chinese import traffic.
The remaining $1,860 million.of trade with the USSR was made
up (see Section II, B.1, p.8 above) of $940 million of Chinese imports and
$920 million of Chinese exports; which are estimated to have represented
close to 1.9 million tons of Chinese imports; and 3.3 million tons of
Chinese exports.
a. Imports from the USSR
(1) Seaborne
Communist China?s imports by sea from the USSR in 1955
were lower than in 1954, principally because direct seaborne shipments: of
petroleum products declined to approximately 13,000 tons of which the bulk
arrived in a single shipment of nearly 10,000 tons from the Black Sea area.
Other cargoes are estimated (largely on the basis of air photographs) to
have totalled 19,000 tons, of which paper was probably the principal
single item. Pricing the POL at $50 per ton and other items at prices
ranging from $200 to $1,000 per ton gives a total estimated value for
these shipments of $10 million.
(2) Overland
The $930 million difference between estimated total.
imports of $940 million and seaborne cargoes of $10 million represents
overland imports from the USSR, with an estimated volume of 1,840,000
tons. Over 90 percent of these overland imports moved by rail.
From.available intelligence it is estimated that
the total-of Chinese imports of petroleum products increased about 20
percent in 1955 from the 1954 level of over 1 million tons to over 1.2
million tons. About 75,000 tons, of this quantity moved by sea from the
European Satellites and about 13,000 tons by sea from the USSR, The
balance of roughly 1,150,000 tons moved overland from the USSR, and
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accounted for more than half the total volume of overland imports from the
USSR.. Some of these petroleum. imports moved from the Black Sea area by
sea to Vladivostok and were transshipped to Communist China, largely by rail
via Grodekovo. The total of such transshipments plus receipts from Soviet
Par East refineries is.estimated to have amounted to half a million tons,.
of which, however, a substantial portion (perhaps 150,000 tons) probably
moved to China by barge on the Amur and Sungari Rivers. The remaining
imports of some 650,000 tons of POL presumably moved via the Trans.-Siberian
Railroad through Qtpor. Applying an average price of something over $50 per
ton, the total overland shipments of petroleum products have been valued at
$60 million.
Despite announced increases in Chinese steel capacity
and occasional exports of `certain 'simple types ;of Chinese steel, it is
believed that over-all Chinese import requirements for steel have continued
to rise. On the other hand, evidence now available suggests that the
estimate made for overland steel imports in ETC-Rl-S1+ was higher than the
actual movement, and that this 195+ movement was probably well under 200,000
tons.. For 1955, therefore, imports of steel from the USSR are estimated at
approximately 200,000 tons with a value of $30 million.
It is probably that, in addition to the military
equipment turned over to the Chinese when Soviet forces withdrew from Port
Arthur, the Chinese received certain direct military imports from the USSR.
Although the value and volume of such direct military imports for 1955 are
unknown, the EIC-Rl.-S4 estimates for 195+ provide some indication.of their
likely magnitude. Accordingly, it is estimated that about $150 million of
military equipment may have been imported from the USSR during 1955,
corresponding to a traffic volume of about 30,000 ton.s..
Although. the balance. of Chinese imports cannot be
specifically identified, it is believed that they consisted primarily
of industrial: equipment, mining and agricultural machinery,, vehicles
and instruments -- all of which are required in increasing :volume by
the Chinese to meet the expanding demands of their industrialization
program. On the basis of press announcements and other information,
these. imports appear to have been of a relatively high value per ton --
estimated at an average of $1,500. The remaining $690 million of imparts
would, therefore, have represented approximately 1+60,000 tons of traffic.
Total overland imports from the USSR are accordingly
estimated as 1,8+0,000 tons, the bulk of which is believed to have been
shipped via the Trans-Siberian Railroad through Otpor.. Shipments. through
Grodekovo, primarily petroleum products, probably increased during 1955
and are estimated as 350,000 tons. It is probable that 150,000 tons of
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petroleum products plus small tonnages. of other goods were shipped via the
Sungari River, and that 20,-000 tons of equipment and consumer goods were
shipped by road to Sinkiang. Total rail shipnts through..Otpor, there-
fore, may be estimated as 1,310,000 tons.
Tab le 16
Approximate Distribution of Estimated Overland Imports from USSR,
by Type of Commodity and by Means of Transport
.1955
Thousand
Million US, $ Metric Tons
By Type` of Commodity
POL 60 1,150
Steel, 30 200
Military Equipment and Supplies 150 30
Other 690 460
Total. 90
By Means: of Transport
By Rail through Grodekovo 350
By Rail through Otpor 1,310
By Sungari River 160
By Road to Sinkiang 20
Total ,tl,
b. Exports to USSR
(1) Seaborne
Approximately 615,000 tons. of Chinese exports
moved by sea to the USSR during 1955,.with a total value of about $55
million. This total was distributed as follows:
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Million US $
Thousand
Metric Tons
To USSR Ports in Europe:
Commodity Shipments
24
173
To the Soviet Far East:
Commodity Shipments
16
x+18
Barges, Motor Launches, etc=
15
24
Total
55
615
Exports to USSR ports in Europe consisted primarily
of soya beans, plus some rice and peanuts, and a single shipment of soda
ash.. Commodity shipments to the Soviet Far East consisted about half (by
volume) of coal, with the balance made up largely of cement, salt and
foodstuffs.. With the exception of foodstuffs these commodities are all
of ':extremely low value per ton. In addition a number of Chinese-built
small craft were observed being delivered to the Soviet Far East either
as deck cargo, in. tow, or moving under their own power.
(2.) Overland
The remaining $865 million of estimated Chinese
exports to the USSR during 1955 moved overland, over 95 percent by
rail. The volume of these overland exports is. estimated at about 2.65
million tons, of which over one-third moved to the Soviet Far East by
rail via Grodekovo, or on the Sungari River.
Intelligence indicates that rail shipments through
Grodekovo may have declined in 1955 to a. level of about 850,000 tons.
These shipments consisted of coal, salt, grain, and foodstuffs shipped.
to Vladivostok, Nakhodka, and Khabarovsk for local consumption or for
shipment to offshore areas. The average value per ton of these ship-
ments is relatively low, and their total value is tentatively placed
at $150 million..
Chinese exports, to the USSR by road and river are
believed to have been. small in 1955, totalling about 70,000 tons with a
value of'approximately $25 million. Road shipments from Sinkiang, based
on occasional abservor reports and estimated availability of'export
products, are placed at 10,000 tons. These products are of a relatively
high value per ton, such as wool, skins, and nonferrous ores, and their
total value is estimated as $15 million. Shipments of timber and agri-
cultural products on the Sungari. River constitute the remainder of this
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traffic (perhaps 60,000 tons) and, with a much lower value per ton, may
have been worth about $10 million.
The remaining $690 million of Chinese overland
exports to the'USSR represent rail shipments through Otpor. These exports
included commodities of low to medium value per ton, such as grains and
foodstuffs, pig iron, minerals and ore concentrates, and also products of
a very high value per ton, such as bristles, silk, wool, skins and hides.
It is estimated that the average value of these exports may have been
about $400 per ton, so that the total volume of such shipments through
Otp:or would have amounted to approximately 1,725,000 tons.
Approximate Distribution.of Estimated Overland Exports to USSR,
by Means of Transport,
1955
Thousand
Million US $
Metric Tons
By Rail through Grodekovo
150
850
By Rail through.Otpor
690
1,725
By Sungari River
10
60
By Road from Sinkiang
15
10
Total
865
64+5
2. Trade with the European Satellites (in Terms of Estimated
Actual Origin and Ultimate Destination of Cargoes
a. Total Trade
Total trade between Communist China and the European
Satellites has been estimated for 1955 as $900 million -- divided about
evenly into $4+50 million of imports and $450 million of exports. (See
p. 8, above.) Thisrepresented about 600,000 tons of imports, and over
1,500,000 tons of exports over three-quarters of which moved by sea.
(i.e., 420,000 tons. of imports and 1,260,000 tons of exports). Seaborne
tonnages, however, included high proportions of bulky low-value commodities,
so that this seaborne traffic represented only a .little over one-third of
the total value of this trade:; :and the' 22`..percent vf:.'this - r~de"voliume
whichmoved ov;erla..d'-,,(-1$0, 800:- tomm of,.:impozrts`. and., 295',:000 tons of '- exports )
accounted.for over 60 percent of its total value.
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Imports
(1) Seaborne
Analysis of cargo movements indicates that a total of
620,000 metric tons of cargo moved into Communist China by sea from
European. Satellite ports -- but intelligence evidence indicates that about
200,000 tons of this cargo were actually of Western European origin, having
been transshipped through Gdynia to avoid established controls on direct
shipments to Communist China (see Section II. C. 2, b. (2) under Unrecorded
Imports, p. 16 , above). Only 420,000 tons of seaborne Chinese imports from
European ports actually originated from the European Satellites: --
representing an;estimated value of about $17- million.
Table 18
Communist Chinese Seaborne Imports Originating from European Satellite;, 1955
(Estimated from Cargo Information)
Volume
Average Value
Value
Commodity
000 Ton)
Per Ton
(US $)
(Million US $)
POL
76
60
4
Iron and Steel
83
170
14
Nonferrous Metals
11
700
8
Fertilizer
89
65
6
Chemicals and Drugs
20
800
16
Instruments
1
5,000
5
Transport Equipment
12
1,250
15
Machinery
20
1,750
35
Machine Tools
1
2,000
2
Foodstuffs
41
200
8
Miscellaneous
4
750
3
Unidentified a
62
950
59
1420
a. he 62,005 tons of unidentified cargo consists, for the most par , of
residual tonnages: remaining after identification of the bulk of the cargo
on individual ships; there are only two ships for which the entire cargo is
unidentified. Although the unidentified cargo is made up of commodities in
the groups identified above, it is believed that a greater proportion of this
unidentified cargo represents machinery and instruments, reflecting a.known
increase in the export of whole industrial plants from the European
Satellites to China.
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(2) Overland
The remaining $275 million of Chinese imports from
the European. Satellites are presumed to represent overland rail move-
ments. According to Chinese and Satellite press announcements and
other intelligence, these imports consisted primarily of'vehicles and
of machinery and.equipment for the industrial plants being constructed
in Communist China by Satellite nations. It is estimated that the
value: of such overland shipments may have averaged around $1,500 per
ton and represented approximately 180,000 tons of Chinese overland
imports.
c. Exerts
(1) Seabptne
Communist China's seaborne exports to the European
Satellites during 1955 amounted to about 1,260,000 tons, with an estimated
value of $155 million. Of this total, something over 700,000 tons were
delivered directly to Bloc ports. In addition, nearly 550,000 tons. of
cargo unloaded in non-Bloc ports (primarily Hamburg and Rijeka) are
estimated to have been transshipped overland or by inland waterways to
destinations in the' European Satellites.
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Table 19
Total Direct plus Transshipped Communist Chinese Seaborne Exports.
to European Satellites, 1955
(Estimated from Cargo Information /)
Commodity
Volume
000 Tong
Average Value
per Ton
(us 1.)
Value
(Million s $$)
Iron Ore
668
15
10
Pig Iron
6
50
0,-3
Nonferrous Metals and Ores
13
700
9.1
Petroleum Coke
2
25
0.1
Textiles,
0.7
7,000
5
Rice and Other Cereals.
89
140
12.4
Soybeans;
278
110
30.6
Peanuts.
96
300
28.8
Other Oilseeds
34
200
6.8
'Other Foodstuffs
36
6oo
21.6
Industrial Oils
5
350
1.7
Jute
3
225
0.7
Other Agricultural Raw Materials
16
1,250
20
Sulphur
4
35
0.1
Unidentified J
9
85o
_6
i 26o
154,8
.4-
-
Of which :
713,000 tons -delivered directly to Bloc ports;
547,000 tons unloaded in ntn-Bloc ports arid. .transsh peed.
b . It is belie *d-that -these exports- auasi-sted `primarily of high and medium
value commodities. Chinese exports of lower value are custormarily shipped
in 'bulk and are relatively easily identified.
(2) Overland
The remaining $295 million of Chinese exports
to the European Satellites are believed to represent overland movements.
Only fragmentary intelligence is available on Chinese overland exports
to the European Satellites, but these would consist of'products having
a very high value per ton, such as, bristles, casings, canned foods, and
handicrafts., as well as some lower-valued oilseeds and foodstuffs. It is
estimated that the average value per ton of such overland exports may have
been around $1,000,- so that they would have represented a total volume of
about 295,000 tons.
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33. Trade with the Far Eastern Satellites
The volume of Communist China's trade with North Korea, North
Vietnam.-and Mongolia during 1955 has been estimated from several announce-
ments of the tonnages involved and from general information on the
commodities Involved in this trade, Trade with North Korea.was by rail,
with Vietnam both by sea and overland (road and rail), and with Mongolia
primarily by road.
a. Trade with North Korea:
(1) Imports
Communist Chinese imports from North Korea during
1955 consisted of electric power,,, the value of which may have amounted
to about $10 million, plus 'commodities such as minerals, fish, fruits,
and medicines, with a.value of approximately $15 million, It is estimated
that these total imports represented about 200,000 tons.
(2) Exports
The North Koreans have reported partial lists of 1955
imports . from: China totalling about 1 million tons. It is believed that
these announcements included the major tonnages involved in an estimated
25 million of Chinese commercial exports to North. Korea. and a publicized
90 million of Chinese aid materials. The total volume of Chinese exports.
to North Korea during 1955 is estimated to have been about 1,200,000 tons.
Trade with North Vietnam
(1) Imports
Chinese imports from North Vietnam are of a relatively
high value per ton,. consisting of'antimony, tin and such agricultural
specialties as cinnamon, tea, coffee, pepper, hides and bamboo. It is
estimated that the value of-these imports during 1955 was about $15
million, representing approximately 20,000 tons.
(2) orts
During 1955, Communist Chinese aid deliveries and
commercial exports to North Vietnam amounted to about $50 million, con?
misting of military equipment, consumer goods, and foodstuffs. It is
estimated that these exports represented about 60,000 tons. Over half
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of these shipments (almost all rice) moved by sea and the balance by
rail or road.
c. Trade with Mongolia
1 y
Communist Chinese trade with Outer Mongolia in 1955
consisted of Chinese imports of horses, agricultural products and
mineral ores, and Chinese eaporta of cr goods plus' the equip-
went for several light industrial plants which Crmamznist China
eompfeted for Outer Mongolia in 1955. This traffic moved largely by
truck and'animal -caravan. Its value is. estimated at $15 million in
.each direction and its volume was negligible.
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IV. Transport and Transport Services
A. Ocean. Shipping
The year 1955 again witnessed a substantial increase. in the amount
of"merchant shipping: engaged in trade with Communist China.. As in previous
years, non-Bloc tonnage was predominant, with eighty-one percent of all
:merchant shipping arriving in Communist China under free world registry,
and nineteen percent under Soviet, Palish, or Czechoslovakian flag. There"
was no activity by the.Chinese Communist merchant fleet outside home waters
in 1955 with. the exception of a minor amount of"commerce with North Vietnam.
There were 1,185 merchant ship arrivals in Chinese Communist ports
in 1955, totalling nearly 5.5 million gross register tons (GRT), an increase
of 893,000 GRT, or nearly 20 percent over 1954. These arrivals represented
an'estimated cargo-carrying; capacity of about 8.2 million long tons. Merchant
ships of 17 Western'-countries. made 987 individual voyages to Communist China,,
accounting for more than 4.4 million.GRT, an increase of 17 percent over the
tonnage of non-Bloc arrivals in 1954
The following table, which shows the number and'estimated cargo-
carrying.capacity of arrivals, together with the per-cent of tonnage
represented by non-Bloc registry shipping for each year 1951-1955, is
indicative of the continuing importance.of Western shipping in China trade;
Table 20
Total Arrivals in Communist China
1951 through 1955
1951 1952 1953 .1954 1955
(EIC-R-1) (EIC-Rl-S2) (EIC-Rl-S ) (EIC-RI-s4) (EIC-RI-S )
5' - ,. .826 1,0.."`T_.` =, 5
Cargo-carrying capacity & 3,241 3,527 5,900 6,900 8,241.
(thousand of long tons)
Percent of non-Bloc 86 81 85 82 81
tonnage
The cargo-carrying capacity of oceango cargo ships may be genera y to en as
a
1 .5 times the gross register tonnage, and this. factor has been used throughout this
report. In practice, however,. the tonnage which a given ship can actually carry on
a particular voyage is affected by the nature of the cargo, the length. of the voyage,
the number of ports visited, and the proportion.of space in the ship allotted to
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The cumber of individual arrivals in Chinese ports does not,,
however, give a complete picture of the shipping, engaged in trade with
Communist China. Ships arriving in Chinese ports fallinto several
categories, for example.. European. tramps and liners, Hong Kong traders,
Japanese tramps, other liners operating out of Southeast Asia and Africa,
and Bloc ships from the Soviet Far East. These provide rather different
types of service and differ substantially in their pattern of employment.
Vessels operating out of Hong Kong and Japan on the relatively short run
to and from. the China coast sometimes account for several arrivals
monthly. On the other hand,, European tramps and liners. .ust maker rela-
tively long voyages between Communist China and their home ports, so that
a single trip may last a number of 'months.
The average monthly arrival tonnage.of all vessels. engaged in
China trade amounted to 458,,000 GRT in 1955- Since 35 percent of all
arrivals originated in European ports, however, and'since ships in the
Sino-European trade are generally employed a minimum of three months,
the total tonnage involved at any one time in trade with the Communist
Chinese is much higher. Analysis of the shipping' engaged reveals that in
1955 on any given. day, counting all ships in Chinese ports or enroute to
or from China, an average of 916,000 GRT of shipping was involved in trade
with Communist China.
About one-half of total GRT 'of" non-Bloc arrivals is .represented by
ships trading between Hong Kong or Japan and the China mainland. Ships
beginning their voyages from. non-Bloc ports in Europe accounted for another
one-third.:of 'ron-Bloc arrivals, with liner service accounting for most of
the GRT,, although the bulk of cargo was carried by tramps. Most of the
remainder of 'non-Bloc arrivals originated in Eastern European or South
Asian ports Voyages of Soviet Bloc shipping engaged. in trade with China
originated largely in Bloc ports, especially from Poland and the Soviet
Far East.
A number of ships, under non-Bloc flags. were :engaged ':exclusively in
'domestic coastal trade for the Communist Chinese during various periods in
1955 -- and represent a valuable service not reflected in arrival. figures,
(See Section 1V. B. 1, p.52, ff.) It is also important to note the ship--
building: sand repair services .rendered by non-Bloc shipyards to the Sino-
Soviet Bloc merchant marines. Nine new ships were constructed: for the
Soviet Bloc by Western yards and put into use on the Far Eastern run,, four
more than were contributed by the Bloc shipbuilders themselves. In.addition
three second-hand: vessels procured from the West were placed on the China run.
Repairs on ten Bloc ships engaged in trade with China were effected or begun
in non-Bloc yards in 1955. These building and repair projects have not only
economic. but also military significance in that they free Bloc shipbuilders
.of such tasks and make them. available for :naval construction:.
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.Nc Bloc Shinn review
There were 987 arrivals by non-Bloc. merchant ships in 1955,
representing'a GRT of 111+28,000 -- in comparison. with. 846 non-Bloc arrivals
in 1954 with aGRT of 3(791,000. This constitutes an increase of 17 percent
in the number and GRT of non :Bloc arrivals in 1954. With some minor fluctu-
ations, the over-all monthly arrival tonnage showed a steady increase-
throughout the entire year, reaching an all-time high during Novembet and
.December. (See Shipping Graph 1.)
Ships of seventeen countries were engaged in thh trade. The
flags.of' the Turkish., Egyptian, South African, Burmese,, and Lebanese merchant
fleets appeared for the first time in 1955. No; merchant shops of Panamanian
or Moroccan registry entered Com niat Chinese ports in 1955', whereas in 1954
one Moroccan and 4 Panamanian vessels were engaged in China trade. British
ships & p, ed for 42 percent of the total arrival tonnages (52 percent of the
total non-Bloc arrivals). Other important tonnages were contributed by
Japanese, Dutch and Norwegian vessels -- 14, 6. and 5 percent, respectively,
of the total arrival tonnages. (See Shipping Graph 2.)
The general pattern of origin of non-Bloc shipping ;arrivals in
the: Chinese trade was relatively little changed in 1955 over 1954, and is
summarized in the attached graph. (See Shipping Graph 3.) Ships beginning
'their voyages from non-Bloc ports in Europe accounted. for the largest single
group .of arrivals;.:.,and liner service was the dominant factor in ORT involved.
Regular liner shipping services are provided the Chinese Communists by ships
of eleven non-Bloc commercial steamship lines which make scheduled voyages
from Europe to the Far East$ including :calls :at Chinese ports. One hundred-
fifty individual arrivals in Communist China (all but nine on voyages
originating :from. Europe) -were made by such liners, representing a potential
carrying capacity of close to 1,800,000 long tons. These .iners, of course,
carry only partial cargoes for China 'and the principal cargo tonnage from
Western Europe ports to China is handled by non-Bloc tramps chartered by the
Bloc. The major value of the liner service is-that it facilitates trade by
assuring to the-Chinese a dependable scheduled transport service for prompt
dispatch of small-lot shipments, and sometimes providing deep tanks, refrig-
erated holds and other space for special cargoes.
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000 GRT
6001-
E NON-BLOC
SOVIET BLOC
0 TOTAL
383 -
1-1 369
328 316
MERCHANT SHIP ARRIVALS IN COMMUNIST CHINA
1951-1955
1952 1953 1954 1955
AVERAGE MONTHLY TOTAL
1951-1955