Red China’s economic progress
Media
Part of Panorama
- Title
- Red China’s economic progress
- Creator
- Chi, Yen
- Year
- 1968
- Subject
- China -- Economic development.
- Rights
-
- Abstract
- From Far East Trade, January, 1968.
- Light industry on firm basis — widening variety of consumer goods.
- Fulltext
- ■ Light industry on firm basis — widening variety of consumer goods. RED CHINA'S ECONOMIC PROGRESS Stretching from the tropical south through the north Temperature Zone, with fer tile land favourable for the growth of a variety of indus trial crops, China is rich in natural resources for the de velopment of both heavy and light industries. Until 1947, virtually all in dustrial equipment and a considerable portion of raw materials had to be imported, with the result that produc tion techniques remained backward. Today, the light industry sector (not including the textile industry, which is an independent branch in China) is overcoming the shortage of raw materials by making full use of farm pro duce and constantly tapping new sources of industrial materials. Canned-foods industry is one that has developed ra pidly, with many canneries operating throughout the country. This has resulted in demands for a corresponding increase in the supply of raw materials. The planned eco nomy of the country ensures this supply. Each year the State Com mercial Departments sign purchase contracts with the people’s communes, supply ing them with fertilizer, in secticide, and fodder. The communes in turn provide the industry with crops and live stock. The paper-making industry, 15 years ago, produced oniy about 30 different types of paper, because of the lack of raw materials and industrial equipment, and the dumping of foreign paper. To meet the demands of schools, publishing and other enterprises, the industry is now making use of the coun try’s inexhaustible sources of reeds, bamboo, esparto grass, rice and wheat stalks, and bagasse (crushed sugar-cane paper and special paper for refuse). High-quality writing March 1968 13 paper and special paper for industrial and agricultural use is now being produced. Newly-developed metallur gical, petroleum, chemical, coal, and mining industries have .provided abundant materials in greater variety and high quality for the grow ing light industry. Geographical location is another factor in the deve lopment of light industry. Formerly concentrated in cities and provinces along the coasts, many factories were far from both raw-materials centers and markets. Under a ‘simultaneous development’ policy, however, many new factories have been built in the interior. Inner Mongolia, which had virtually no industry before, is now China’s largest leather, meat-packing, and dairy-pro cessing center. Its light-jndustrial factories also produce a widening range of consu mer goods ,including shoes, rubber, plastic goods, ceramic articles, enamelware, glass ware, cigarettes, and sugar. Output of enamelware in other provinces in the inte rior constitutes a considerable 14 proportion of the nation’s to tal production. Availability of machine tools and plant is essential for the growth of a country’s light industry. With the ad vance of science and techno logy, and the building up of a powerful heavy industry, China is now able to make most of the key equipment needed for its various light industries. Training of technical per sonnel is carefully planned. There are light-industrial re search institutes, schools, and colleges that specialize in various fields. Every effort is made no ensure that this sector is basically self-suffi cient in resources and tech nology, which contributes to both meeting the people’s needs and accumulating capi tal for the country’s economy. For instance, there is an ever-increasing demand for bicycles. Large, modern plants and factories now manufacture a range of bicy cles from standard to road sters and racers. Although China’s clock making industry can be traced back to the 17th cen tury, production methods had Panorama not improved greatly up to 1949. Today, mass-produc tion techniques turn out a variety of clocks able to keep pace with growing demand. Chinas traditional pro ducts, especially those famous through the centuries, are be ing given equal attention. Producers of famous wines, pottery, and porcelain are given every encouragement. In recent years, light-in dustrial departments have carried out the policies of ‘quality first’ and ‘variety must meet specific needs’. To meet rural and urban needs, officials of the light industrial departments, in co-operation with commercial agencies, visit consumers and salesmen to solicit opinions on consumer products. Factory, directors and man agers are encouraged to serve as shop assistants so as to learn at first hand the needs of the people. Exhibi tions too are held throughout the country in order to intro duce new products and to note customers’ reactions. Needs of the peasants ac count for 80 per cent of the population of over 700m. Rubber shoes, low-priced fountain-pens, heavy-duty bi cycles, films, plastic water pipes, and plastic fish-nets are among the most popular goods specially designed and made for farms and fisheries. Behind the achievements in the light-industry sector, is the general policy to make agriculture the foundation, and industry the leading fac tor, in the development of the national economy. — Yen Chi. Far East Trade, Ja nuary, 1968. SPORT The temperament which inclines men to sports is essentially a boyish temperament. The addiction to sports, therefore, in a peculiar degree marks an arrested development of the man’s moral nature. — Thorstein Veblen March 1968 15