Merchant Bureau - Shoshokyoku

A Chinese shipping company. In late Qing China, the shipping industry was monopolized by foreign capital from the United States, Britain, and other countries. In response to this, and to promote private businesses (inviting trade), the Bureau was established in Shanghai in 1872 at the suggestion of Li Hongzhang, Governor-General of Zhili. It received government loans and took protective measures such as monopolizing shipping rice, becoming a central player in the ethnic shipping industry. In 1874, it was reorganized as a commercial bureau. However, the influence of foreign capital was strong, and the tonnage of ships entering and leaving each port was always in the 50-60% range, with Britain in first place and Japan in second place, up until the 1930s. In addition, poor management, the struggle for interests between warlords and government officials, and the slump in the ethnic shipbuilding industry were all combined, and the Bureau continued to stagnate for a long time. The Nationalist government planned to revive the bureau, and in 1932 it was nationalized and management improved, but it was closed down during the Sino-Japanese War. It was rebuilt in Chongqing in 1943, and after the war, it was transferred to Taipei when the Nationalist government moved after a public-private joint venture, and once again became a state-owned enterprise. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the remaining ships and facilities on the mainland were inherited by the State-owned Steamship Company (STS).

[Makio Okabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国の水運企業。清(しん)末の中国では、水運業はアメリカ、イギリスなどの外国資本が独占していた。これに対抗し、民業の振興（招商）を図るため、直隷総督李鴻章(りこうしょう)の提議で1872年上海(シャンハイ)に創業。政府の融資を受け、漕米を独占するなどの保護策がとられ、民族水運業の中心的存在となった。1874年商弁に改組。しかし外国資本の勢力は強大で、その後1930年代に至るまで、各港出入の船舶トン数は1位のイギリスと2位の日本とでつねに50～60％台を維持する状況であった。加えて経営の拙劣、軍閥・官吏の利権争奪、民族造船業の不振など悪条件が重なり、招商局は長く低迷を続けた。国民政府は同局の再興を計画し、1932年国営にして経営を改善したが日中戦争で休業。1943年重慶(じゅうけい／チョンチン)で再建され、戦後、官民合弁を経て国民政府の移転とともに台北に移り、再度国営企業となった。大陸の残存船舶・施設は中華人民共和国成立後、国営輪船公司(コンス)が継承している。

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