First Aid for China

Abstract

ALTHOUGH its major preoccupation at the time was the task of winning the war against Japan, the Chinese Government, as early as January 1944, took the first steps towards solving postwar problems by establishing the Chinese Rehabilitation Planning Commission. The functions of this Commission were to study China's relief needs resulting from war devastation and the consequent dislocation of the country's economy, make estimates of import requirements to meet those needs, and lay out a practical program of action for relief and rehabilitation. At the request of the Chinese Government, UNRRA sent agricultural, economic and medical experts to China to collaborate with the Commission in the analysis of the pertinent data and the drawing up of the Commission's report. This report, formally submitted to the Director General of UNRRA on September 30, 1944, itemized the import requirements for the 18 months following liberation in each of the following categories: health, social welfare, displaced persons, transportation and communications, Yellow River flood control, food, clothing, agriculture, industry, and shelter. It called for importation of approximately ten million metric tons of relief and rehabilitation supplies at an estimated cost of US$2,500,000,000, and for internal expenditures amounting to CN$2,727,000,000 (at the pre-war value). This program was, the Chinese Government stated, to be financed in large part by the Chinese Government itself. UNRRA was asked for aid amounting to US$945,196,000 (exclusive of shipping charges), representing approximately four million metric tons of supplies, and for the services of technical personnel and advisers to assist the Chinese Government in the carrying out of its relief and rehabilitation program. After its original submission, the list of import requirements was subjected to constant revision in the light of new intelligence on conditions in the country and also in view of the changing world-supply position of the various commodities required. Until