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Show THE WAR AND THE FOREIGN TRADE OF CHINA A recent number of tho London and China Telegraph quotes Dr. O.K. Marrlson, political adviser to the president pr-esident of China, now on a visit to Australia, who said some Interatlng things in a Melbourno newspaper In regard to Chlna.s trado relations with Australia that apply wth equal force to her trade relations with other countries. Said Dr. Morrison: When China declared war against German) and Auatrla on August 14 she did Gvrmnny nn Infinite nmount of harm. Not only were nil Oerman nnd Australn share of tho Hoxer indemnity, amounting to IC5.000.000 confiscated, but nil troatles with Germany Ger-many wore terminated. After tho wnr therefore, China will have .new treaties. treat-ies. In hlch she will bo able to make very much better terms for herself. By declaring war sho struck an economic econ-omic rather than military blow at Germany (though the latter will come), because those vast areas of nuexplolted country which Germany hoped to exploit after the war are are now closed agaLnst her. That Is why I think preparation should now be made by Australian producors to study the conditions ot tho market In China. Germany has been eliminated and so has Austria, the former having hav-ing been tho third largest foreign power In commercial relations with , China; so why should we not get a share of that trade, or rather prcphro to get a share, when normal conditions conditi-ons nre restored? It Is very important import-ant to remember jthat will recover her treaty independence In regard to Germany. Germany Is now a non-treaty non-treaty power, and China has promul-non-treaty powers will not have tho same customs tariff as treaty powers. There wlllbe preferential troatment to treaty powers. Hero then, wo havo Australia with Its unlimited powers of production right ogalnst a country llko China, with almost unlimited powers ot absorption of that produce. China buys 1525,000,000 worth of foreign goods each year, as far as Is known, and would take any quantity of Australian products, even to medicines. med-icines. The appointment of permanent perman-ent trade representees In China would be advisable, and ,a trade commission com-mission should be sent Immediately to .Jay the foundations ot futuro relations. |
