PRICES OF MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT IN THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-00928A000200020004-8
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 26
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 29, 2001
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: May 1, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

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Research Aid
Prices of Machinery and Equipment
in the Peoples Republic of China
A (ER) 75-64
May 1975
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This publication is prepared for the use of U.S. Government
officials. The format, coverage, and contents of the publi-
cation are designed to meet the specific requirements of
governmental users. All inquiries concerning this document
from non-U.S. Government users are to be addressed to:
Document Expediting (DOCEX) Project
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Library of Congress
Washington, D.C. 20540
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Prices of Machinery and Equipment
in the Peoples Republic of China
May 1975
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PRICES OF MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT IN THE
PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA
This handbook of machinery and equipment prices in the Peoples
Republic of China was prepared as a research aid for use in analyzing Chinese
industrial progress. It consists of two sections: a table of machinery and
equipment prices for 1952, 1957, 1965, and 1972 and an Appendix that presents
the source information.
All prices are in. current yuan and are as expressed in the years indicated,
with the exception of prices before 1955. The latter prices have been adjusted for
the 10,000-to-1 currency conversion effected in March 1955. With a few
exceptions, the prices are ex-factory prices (ch'u-ch'ang chia-ko), that is, the
transfer prices used by an equipment manufacturing plant in selling its products
to other industrial plants or to wholesale enterprises. Where enough data were
available, a national average price was constructed on the basis of an unweighted
arithmetic mean. In most cases, however, the price is the mean of only a few
quotations. Products listed in the Appendix but not in the table are items for
which the price data are too fragmentary to permit the estimation of a time series.
The prices listed in the table are believed to be representative of
Chinese machinery prices for the years indicated. For the most part, they are
prices for items in serial production during long periods when a learning curve
has raised the productivity of labor and capital. Thus, it is not surprising that
the table shows-what the Chinese have noted at various times in their press-a
general price decline since 1952. Some items, however, show an increase in price
over time, which may reflect increases in quality or difficulties arising from a
small sample of prices. For example, the increase between 1965 and 1972 in the
price of boilers is probably explained by increases in quality. The price increase
of tube-type radios between 1965 and 1972 cannot be explained satisfactorily.
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Prices of Chinese Machinery and Equipment for Selected Benchmark Years
Price in Current Yuan
Power equipment ............. 215-21842
Steam boilers .............. 2151-2155
Steam turbines ............. 2159-21615
Hydroturbines ............. 2162-21624
Internal combustion engines. 2165-2172
Electric generators.......... 2175-217723
Electric motors ............. 2181-21842
Electric equipment ........... 220-22475
Transformers .............. 2201-22033
Metalcutting machine tools.... 225-23083
Lathes .................... 2251-2259
Planers .................... 2271-2273
Forging and pressing equipment. 231-2348
Punch presses ............... 2342
Weaving, knitting, sewing, and 304-3225
printing and dyeing indus-
tries equipment
Cotton textile machinery.. . . 305-30819
Looms .................. 30711
Spindles ................. 30811-30812
Sewing machines ........... 32027-32032
Ex-factory prices.........
Agricultural machinery........ 395-3984
Tilling tools ............... 3951-39552
Sowing machinery .......... 3957-3961
Harvesting machinery....... 3971-3975
Irrigation water-lifting ma- 3979-39792
chinery
Tractors ..................... 399-39983
15-horsepower units and 3991
actual units
Railroad rolling stock and 401-40421
equipment
Steam locomotives .......... 4011-40123
MK-1` locomotives....... .
Peace locomotives ........
Diesel locomotives........'.. 4015
Freight cars ............... 4021-40226
Merchant vessels ............. 419-4273
Self-powered boats.......... 4190
Motor vehicles and parts ...... 430-44155
Motor vehicles ............. 4301-4305
Telecommunication equipment 446-44814
and parts
Radio receivers ............. 4471
Vacuum tube radios ......
Transistor radios .........
Cultural and consumer products. 5331-5502
Bicycles ................... 5331
Wristwatches .............. 5347
Average boiler
Average turbine
Average turbine
100-200 horsepower
Average AC generator
4-50-kw motor
C-620 lathe
See the Appendix
Type 51 loom
Average spindle
Average sewing
machine
Average sewing
machine
Double wheel, double
blade plow
10-row seeder
See the Appendix
Motor and pump set
MK-1
Peace model
General diesel
U-50 gondola car
Measure 1952 1957 1965 1972
Metric tons per hour 15 , 090 13,700 11,800 13,560
Kilowatts 95.04 91.67 76.09 68.10
Kilowatts 120.68 53.62 80.00 31.58
Horsepower 150.00 147.98 140.07 143.98
Kilowatts 92.02 57.14 40.00 67.90
Kilowatts 144.75 96.21 76.00 53.20
Units
Units
U nits
Units
2,000-HP units
Units
1,550 1,407
12.12 11.00 13.00 15.00
200,000 220,000
283,800 244,352
756,800 656,900 577,440
21,361 19,389
Deadweight tons 5,449 4,946
Light-ship displace- 3,336 3,028
ment
5-tube radio
General receiver
Units 2
Units 2
Average bicycle Units 2
Average watch Units 2
75.00 69.38 50.00 57.90
106.70 106.70 92.71
147.16 160.00 160.00 160.00
112.00 120.00 120.00
1 State Statistical Bureau, Kung-yeh ch'an-pin Ku-lu (Index of Industrial Commodities), Peking, 1953, pp. 41-85.
2 Retail price.
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This Appendix provides reference data for the table of Chinese prices of
machinery and equipment. The prices were obtained primarily from information
in Chinese news media and professional journals. For 1965 and 1972, some price
data have been gleaned from reports of journalists, tourists, and other visitors
to the PRC and from interviews with emigrants. An effort has been made to
include only those prices derived from first-hand knowledge or from official
statements by the Chinese to the reporting individual.
All prices, with the exception of those for sewing machines in 1965 and 1972,
radios, bicycles, and wristwatches, are ex-factory prices. Retail prices have been
reported for these items as the only prices available.
If the price for only one year of 1952 and 1957 was known, a wholesale
price index of 1952 = 100.0 and 1957 = 90.77 was used to calculate the unknown
price. This deflator was drawn from the Shanghai Wholesale Price Index for
industrial goods.' No similar index is available for 1965 or 1972.
A national consumer goods price index 2 of 1952=100.0 and 1957=92.5
was also calculated and applied where a 1952 or 1957 retail price was unknown
and desired.
In the remaining discussion the following abbreviations for periodicals
are used:
1 Academics Sinica, Shanghai Economic Research Institute, and Shanghai Academy of Social
Science, Economic Research Institute, Shanghai chieh-fang chien-hou wu-chieh tzu-liao hui-pien
1921-1957 (A Compilation of Reference Materials of Shanghai Commodity Prices Before and After
Liberation), Shanghai Jen-ruin Ch'u-pan-she, Shanghai, Oct 1958, pp. 456-459.
S State Statistical Bureau, Ten Great Years, Foreign Languages Press, Peking, 1960, p. 87.
The output value of consumer products from industry is given for 1957 in 1952 yuan and 1957 yuan.
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CC YC .......
Ching-chi yen-chiu (Economic Research), Peking.
CHCC .......
Chi-hua thing-chi (Planned Economy), Peking.
CHKY.......
Chi-hsieh kung-yeh (Machinery Industry), Peking.
CHKYCP....
Chi-hsieh kung-yeh chou-pao (Machinery Industry Weekly),
Shanghai.
ECMM ......
FBIS........
JMJP .......
JMTY.......
JPRS........
KYCT.......
Extracts from Chinese Mainland Magazines, Hong Kong,
Consulate General.
Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Washington, D.C.
Jen-min jih-pao (People's Daily), Peking.
Jen-min Lien yeh (People's Power Industry), Peking.
Joint Publications Research Service, Washington, D.C.
Kung-yeh chi-tsai (Industrial Materials), Peking.
US
SCMP.......
Survey of China Mainland Press, Hong Kong, US Consulate
General.
SLFT........
Shui-li fa-tien (Hydroelectricity), Peking.
TCKT .......
Tung-chi kung-tso (Statistical Work), Peking.
TKP ........
Ta kung pao (Impartial Daily), Hong Kong and Peking.
Power Equipment
Steam Boilers
Only boilers used for commercial-scale power generation are included. China
also produces many industrial boilers. The increase in price per metric ton per
hour of steam output is not unusual. As boilers become larger and provide more
output at higher pressures and temperatures, they become more expensive to
produce. Large boilers were not produced in China in 1952.
Year
Price
(Yuan)
Yuan/Ton/
Hour
20-ton/hour .........................................
1957
....
13,7001
35-ton/hour (Shanghai plant) .............. . .........
1959
435,3862
12,440
35-ton/hour (Harbin plant) ...........................
1959
372,2542
10,636
6.5-ton/hour (194?) ..................................
1962
75,000
11,538
6.5-ton/hour (375?) ..................................
1962
90,000
13,846
4-ton/hour K-4 type .................................
1965
40,000
10,000
75-ton/hour (drives 12.5-MW steam turbine) ...........
1973
1,200,0003
16,000
120-ton/hour (drives 25-MW steam turbine) ............
1973
1,800,0003
15,000
230-240-ton/hour (drives 52-MW steam turbine) .........
1973
3,000,0003
12,766
410-ton/hour (drives 100 -125-MW steam turbine) .......
1973
5,500,0003
13,415
670-ton/hour (drives 200-MW steam turbine) ...........
1973
9,500,0003
14,179
4-ton/hour K-4-type .................................
1973
40,0003
10,000
1 JMTY, No. 32, 1957, p. 29. Taken as one-half of a complete boiler room given as 27,400 yuan
per ton/hour.
2 CHKYCP, 11 May 1959, p. 5. Assumes that the markup in 1959 was 44.7%, the same as
turbines. The 1973 markup is the same on boilers, turbines, and generators.
3 Costs and prices given by this source indicate a 35% markup.
4
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The price series for boilers is derived from the data above, as follows:
Price
(Current
Yuan/Ton/
Hour)
1952 .......... 15,090 The 1957 price inflated by the Shanghai
Wholesale Price Index.
1957 .......... 13,700
1965 .......... 11,800 The mean of the three 1962-65 unit prices.
1972 .......... 13,560 The mean of the six 1973 unit prices.
This category includes only steam turbines used to power large-scale electric
generators.
3,000-KW
..................
1951
302,5261
100.84
6,000-KW
..................
1951
535,4401
89.24
6,000-KW
..................
1957
550,0002
91.67
1,500-KW
..................
1959
123,1203
82.08
12,500-KW .................
1973
1,300,0004
104.00
25,000-KW .................
1973
1,900,0004
76.00
50,000-KW .................
1973
3,000,0004
60.00
100,000-KW ................
1973
5,300,0004
53.00
200,000-KW ................
1973
9,500,0004
47.50
1 Management Division of the Ministry of Fuel Industry of the Central
People's Government, Chu-yao she-pei chi ts'ai-liao ku-chia piao-chun mu-lu
(Catalogue of Standard Prices of Important Equipment and Materials), Hsin-
hua Shu-tien, Peking, Nov 1951.
2 CCYC, No. 4, 1958, p. 11. A markup of 44.7% is calculated from the cost
of 380,000 yuan reported in CCYC, No. 3, 1957, p. 66.
3 CIIKYCP, 11 May 1959, p. 5. The costs at four different plants making
the 1,500-KW steam turbine have been averaged and then marked up by
44.7%.
4 Manufactured at Harbin. The costs and prices given by this source
indicate an average markup of about 35%.
The price series for steam turbines is derived from the data above, as follows:
Price
(Current
Yuan/
KW)
1952
..........
95.04
The mean of the two 1951 unit prices.
1957
..........
91.67
1965
..........
76.09
Interpolated between the 1959 and 1973 unit
prices.
1972 .......... 68.10
The mean of the five 1973 unit prices.
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Hydroturbines
Turbines for hydroelectric power generation vary considerably in price per
kilowatt. Such design requirements as water head, blade diameter, and rotational
speed are more important cost considerations than absolute kilowatt rating. For
this reason, low water head units are included in this listing for reference but are
not used in the calculations. It is assumed that large-capacity units do not differ
significantly in price per kilowatt from the small units.
Year
Price
(Yuan)
Yuan/KW
1,050-KW ..........................
1950
30,0001
28.57
37-KW .............................
1951
6,0001
162.16
74-KW .............................
1951
18,0001
243.24
186-KW ............................
1951
18,000,
96.77
410-KW ............................
1952
50,0001
121.95
74-KW .............................
1952
8,000,
108.11
334-KW low water head ..............
1952
57,0001
170.66
100-KW low water head ..............
1952
18,0001
180.00
130-KW ............................
1952
15,0001
115.38
448-KW ............................
1952
40,0001
89.29
170-KW low water head ..............
1955
70,0002
411.76
25-HP (18.65-KW) ..................
1957
1,0003
53.62
134-KW low water head ..............
1957
25,0009
186.57
8-KW ..............................
1958
8605
107.50
125-KW Type S6-7 ..................
1965
10,000
80.00
25-HP (18.65-KW) ..................
1972
500
26.81
30-HP (22.38-KW) ..................
1972
800
35.75
50-HP (37.30-KW) ..................
1972
1,200
32.17
1 SLFT, No. 12, 1958, p. 28.
2 Ibid. This is not a typical unit because of the low water head.
3 600 Million Build Industry, Foreign Languages Press, Peking, 1958,
p. 147.
4 SLFT, No. 12, 1958, p. 28. This is not a typical unit because of the low
water head.
5 Ibid., pp. 15-47, and SLFT, No. 14, 1958, p. 44.
The price series for hydroturbines is derived from the data above, as follows:
Price
(Current
Yuan/KW)
1952 ................. 120.68
The mean of the eight 1950-52 unit
prices.
1957
................
53.62
1965
................
80.00
1972
................
31.58
The mean of the three 1972 unit prices.
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Internal Combustion Engines
Internal combustion engines consist of diesel, gasoline, coal-gas, and donkey
engines. The list below consists of prices for diesel engines, which make up the
majority of internal combustion engines produced in China. Engines of less
than 15 HP are listed below for references but are not used in the calculation of
the price series. Cost figures were marked up by 50%.1
Year
Price
(Yuan)
Yuan/HP
100-HP and under .................
1951
....
180.002
100-200-HP ......................
1951
....
150.002
200-500-HP ......................
1951
....
120.002
500-HP and over ..................
1951
....
90.002
40-HP ...........................
1958
5,9783
149.45
40-HP ...........................
1958
5,3383
133.45
32-HP ...........................
1958
7,7103
240.94
32-HP ...........................
1958
5,9663
186.44
8-HP............................
1958
1,5633
195.38
8-HP ............................
1958
1,8393
229.88
12-HP ...........................
1958
6,5103
542.50
10-HP ...........................
1962
2,491
249.10
20-HP ...........................
1962
3,677
183.85
40--II ...........................
1962
8,000
200.00
7.5-IIP Donkey engine .............
1962
2,000
266.67
20-HP ...........................
1962
3,000
150.00
30-HP ...........................
1962
6,000
200.00
20-HP Type 2105 .................
1963
2,803
140.10
1,000-IiP Model B2-1000...........
1964
72,654
72.65
25-HP ...........................
1964
2,5004
100.00
28-HP ...........................
1965
6,313
225.46
120-HP ..........................
1969
15,000
125.00
135-HP ..........................
1969
22,000
162.96
1 Chu-yuan Cheng, The Machine Building Industry in Communist China,
New York, Aldine Press, 1971, p. 268.
2 Management Division of the Ministry of Fuel Industry of the Central
People's Government, op. cit.
3 CHCC, No. 9, 1958, p. 39.
4 May be a used engine.
To prevent distortion by price differences due solely to the size of the
engines, the average price of the 100-200-HP engines is used as a standard. All
prices for small engines are converted to that range using the ratio of the prices
given for 1951.
The price series for internal combustion engines is derived from the data
above, as follows:
Price
(Current
Yuan/HP)
1952 ............
150.00
. The 1951 price for the 100-200-IIP range.
1957 ............
147.98
The mean of the four 1958 adjusted unit
prices.
1965 ............
140.07
The mean of the eight 1962-65 adjusted
unit prices.
1972 ............
143.98
The mean of the two 1969 unit prices.
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Generators produced in the PRC have steadily increased in size over the
years. No large-scale generators were produced prior to 1956. When China began
to build units of 100,000 KW and up in the 1960s, many were made with a
water-cooled rotor. Water cooling is more expensive than standard hydrogen
cooling and may explain the rise in price between 1965 and 1973. The hydro-
electric generators listed are about twice as expensive as the thermal generators.
Year
Price
(Yuan)
Yuan/KW
160-KW hydroelectric ..............
1955
60,0001
375.00
6,000-KW thermal electric..........
1956
342,8402
57.14
130-KW hydroelectric asynchronous.
1957-58
15,7001
120.77
6,000-KW thermal electric..........
1965
240,000
40.00
12,500-KW thermal electric.........
1973
1,300,000
104.00
25,000-KW thermal electric.........
1973
1,900,000
76.00
50,000-KW thermal electric .........
1973
3,000,000
60.00
100,000-KW thermal electric........
1973
5,200,0003
52.00
200,000-KW thermal electric........
1973
9,500,000
47.50
1 SLFT, No. 12, 1958, p. 29.
2 ECMM, No. 67, 28 Jan 1957, p. 18.
3 This unit, reported as 100,000 KW, may actually have been a 125,000-KW
unit.
An electrical equipment price index was constructed using the prices of
transformers and electric motors for 1952 and 1957 with an average of the output
for these two categories. The following data were used:
Price Price Output Output
1952 1957 1952 1957
Motors ..................... 144.75 96.21 6393 1,4553
1 State Statistical Bureau, Wo-kuo kanq-t'ieh. tien-li, mei-Van, chi-hsieh,
fang-chih, tsao-chip kung-yeh ti chin-hsi (Past and Present of China's Iron
and Steel, Electric Power, Coal, Machine Building, Textile, and Paper Indus-
tries) T'ung-chi ch'u-pan-she, Peking, 1958, p. 114.
2 CHKY, No. 3, 1958, p. 3, in thousand KVA.
3 Ten Great Years, op. cit., p. 97. Output in thousand KW.
~, Pi57 (Qr52 + Q157
157? X 1.00.
EP152 (Q152 + Q157)
The 1957 price index of 62.1 is used to determine the 1952 price for electric
generators.
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The price series for thermal electric generators is derived from the data
above, as follows:
Price (Current
Yuan/KW)
Comment
1952 ..........
92.02
The 1957 price deflated by the Electrical
Equipment Price Index.
1957 ..........
57.14
The 1956 unit price.
1965 ..........
40.00
1972..........
167.90
The mean of the five 1973 unit prices.
Only AC multipole three-phase motors have been priced. Fractional horse-
power motors, single-phase motors, DC motors, and split-phase motors are not
included because of their inherent cost differences. It is assumed that the average
motor is between 4 KW and 50 KW in size.
Year
Price
(Yuan)
Yuan/KW
100-IIP (74.6-KW) ................
1952
12,418.801
166.47
100-IIP (74.6-KW) ................
1952
10, 000.001
134.05
50-HP (37.3-KW) .................
1952
3,538.001
94.85
20-IIP (14.9-KW) .................
1952
1,494.501
100.30
5-IIP (3.7-KW) ...................
1952
610.001
164.86
3-I-P (2.2-KW) ...................
1952
457.501
207.95
30-KW ...........................
1958
6,835.002
227.83
30-KW ...........................
1958
8,506.002
283.53
2.8-KW, 4-pole ....................
1958
255.002
91.07
2.8-KW, 4-pole ....................
1958
210.002
75.00
115-KW ..........................
1959
2,976.003
25.88
115-KW ..........................
1959
3,594.003
31.25
100-KW ..........................
1959
2,969.003
29.69
100-KW ..........................
1959
2,426.003
24.26
4.5-KW ..........................
1959
430.003
95.56
4.5-KW ..........................
1959
456.003
101.33
4.5-KW ..........................
1959
328.003
72.89
7-KW ............................
1965
595.00
85.00
10-KW (J40P) ....................
1965
670.00
67.00
1.5-]KW ..........................
1972
100.00
66.67
2.8-KW ..........................
1972
150.00
53.57
5-KW ............................
1972
300.00
60.00
7-KW ............................
1972
380.00
54.29
10-KW ...........................
1972
500.00
50.00
14-KW ...........................
1972
600.00
42.86
20-KW ...........................
1972
900.00
45.00
1 K YCT, No. 1, 1952.
2 CHKY, No. 8, 1958, pp. 5-6. The costs of the 30-KW units appear
excessive; they may be cost data from inefficient plants. The cost data given
were marked up by 50%. The markup is derived from cost and price data on
transformers in the section below.
3 CHKYCP, 11 May 1959. The cost data given were marked up by 50%.
The markup is derived from cost and price data on transformers in the
section below.
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The price series for electric motors is derived from the data above, as follows:
Price (Current
Yuan/KW)
Comment
1952
..........
144.75
The mean of the six 1952 unit prices.
1957
..........
96.21
The mean of the 11 1958-59 unit prices.
1965
..........
76.00
The mean of the two 1965 unit prices.
1972
..........
53.20
The mean of the seven 1972 unit prices.
Electric Equipment
Transformers
Only oil-cooled power transformers are included. Communications and
appliance-type transformers are excluded from this category.
Size
Year
Price
(Yuan)
Yuan/KVA
The mean of nine unit prices (50-2,000
KVA) ............................
1952
....
46.341
The mean of three unit prices for a 180-
KVA unit ........................
1958
4,678
26.002
The mean of 16 unit prices (100 -750-
KVA) ............................
1959
....
26.393
The mean of three unit prices for a
1,000-KVA unit ...................
1959
17,944
17.943
The mean of 18 unit prices (50 -180-
KVA) ............................
1959
....
26.974
The mean of 25 unit prices (25-5,600-
KVA) ............................
1972
....
11.30
1 KYCT, No. 1, 1952, pp. 26-29.
2 CHKY, No. 8, 1958, pp. 5-6. The cost data were marked up by 50%.
The markup was derived from the average of the costs given in source No. 3
and the average of the prices given in source No. 4.
3 CHKYCP, 11 May 1959. The cost data were marked up by 50%. The
markup was derived from the average of the costs given in source No. 3 and
the average of the prices given in source No. 4.
4 JPRS, No. 10,893, 7 Nov 1961. A translation of T'ieh-lu piao-chun she
chi yu-suan shou-ts'e (Standard Railway Design and Budget Handbook),
People's Railroad Publishing Co., Peking, 1960.
The price series for transformers is derived from the data above, as follows:
Price
(Current
Yuan/KVA)
1952
..........
46.34
1957
..........
25.99
The mean of the 40 unit prices for 1958-59.
1965
..........
18.65
Interpolated between the 1958 unit price and
the 1972 unit price.
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Metalcutting Machine Tools
Lathes
The most common Chinese metalcutting machine tool is the lathe. Of all
the lathes produced in China, the C-620 (a copy of the Soviet 1A62) is the most
typical. The price of the C-620 lathe is used as representative of the price of all
metalcutting macine tools produced in China. Prices for other lathes and machine
tools are also given where available.
Average lathe .............................
1953
12,3001
Average lathe .............................
1956
6,8002
Average machine tool ......................
1957
1,200--1,600
per ton
1A62 lathe ................................
1957
10,2009
C-620-1, C-620 lathe .......................
1958
9,7615
C-630 lathe ...............................
1958
21,0708
C-616 lathe ...............................
1959
8,0766
C-630 lathe ...............................
1959
17,0007
C-620 lathe ...............................
1959
10,0007
C-620 lathe ...............................
1964
9,200
C-616 lathe ...............................
1964
7,700
C-620 lathe ...............................
1967
7,500
C-620 lathe ...............................
1974
6,000
1 Ma Yin-ch'u, (Wo to thing-chi li-lun chi-hsueh-ssu-hsiang ho cheng-chih
Ii ch'ang), Peking, 1958, p. 27.
2 Ibid., pp. 27-28.
3 CHCC, No. 9, 1957, in ECMM, No. 112, 23 Dec 1957, p. 27. The C-620
lathe, which weighs 2.5 tons, would be priced at 3,000 to 4,000 yuan, if its
price per ton were the same as the average machine tool.
4 CIIKY, No. 3, 1957, p. 10.
5 CHKY, No. 6, 1957, p. 9. The cost data were marked up by 100%. The
markup was derived from the average of the costs in sources No. 5 and No. 6
and the average of the prices given in source No. 7.
6 CHKYCP, 11 May 1959, p. 5. The cost data were marked up by 100%.
The markup was derived from the average of the costs in sources No. 5 and
No. 6 and the average of the prices given in source No. 7.
7 Prices were given for the C-620 lathe and the C-630 lathe.
The price series for machine tools is derived from the data above, as follows:
Price
(Current
Yuan/Unit)
1952
...........
12,300
The 1953 price of the average lathe.
1957
..........
10,200
The price of the 1A62 lathe.
1965
..........
9,200
The 1964 price of the C-620 lathe.
1972
..........
6,000
The 1974 price of the C-620 lathe.
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Planers
The prices of several types of planers are noted below. As with lathes, these
prices suggest that, as the skills necessary to produce them have been learned by
Chinese industry, the price of standardized machine tools has dropped.
Weight
(KG)
Year
Price
(Yuan)
Yuan/MT
Universal milling machine ....
....
1951
.14, 800
....
Universal milling machine. . ..
Planers/shaping machines:
....
1970
11,160
B-665
....................
1,850
1964
6,000
3,243
B-635
....................
1,000
1969
3,000
3,000
B-660
....................
1,850
1969
5,000
2,703
B-665
....................
1,850
1969
5,200
2,811
B-6025 ...................
450
1969
2,800
6,222
B-2012 ...................
25,000
1973
60,000
2,400
Forging and Pressing Equipment
Punch Presses
The great difference in size between the two units precludes drawing any
conclusions about the trend in prices of punch presses.
Weight
Price
Size
(MT)
Year
(Yuan)
Yuan/MT
40-ton (probably J23-40).....
3.54
1960
13,000
3,672
315-ton (JA31-315T) .........
38.47
1973
50,000
1,300
Weaving, Knitting, Sewing, and Printing and Dyeing Industries Equipment
Cotton Textile Machinery
Cotton Looms
Year Yuan/Unit
Type 51 loom ............................. 1952 1,5501
1 KYCT, No. 1, 1952, p. 34. A copy of the Japanese Toyoda Manufacturing
Company's "Bountiful Harvest" brand loom.
The price series for looms is derived from the data above, as follows:
Price (Current
Yuan/Unit) Comment
1952 .......... 1,550
1957 .......... 1,407 The 1952 unit price deflated by the
Shanghai Wholesale Price Index.
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Spindles
Model 1252 ...............................
1957
11.001
Model A512 spinning machine ..............
1973
15.00 2
1 The value of 600 spinning machines of model 1252 was given as 1.9
million yuan. On the assumption that the spindles account for one-half of
the value, the unit price is 11.00 yuan per spindle. See also FBIS, 27 Sep
1957, pp. ccc2-cec3, where 6.4 million yuan is allocated for textile plant
improvements, including 130,000 spindles, cleaning machines, combers, draw-
ing and slabbing machines, and the spinning machines which contain the
spindles. If the spindles cost 11.00 yuan each, they would represent 22% of
the total value of the improvements. This share appears reasonable.
2 The A512 spinning machine is priced at 12,000 yuan. Using the same
method as in note No. 1, above, a unit price of 15.00 yuan is derived.
The price series for spindles is derived from the data above, as follows:
Price (Current
Yuan/Spindle) Comment
1952...... 12.12 The 1957 unit price inflated by the Shanghai
Wholesale Price Index.
1957...... 11.00
1965...... 13.00 Interpolated between the 1957 and 1973 unit
prices.
1972...... 15.00 The 1973 unit price.
Sewing Machines
Ex-Factory Prices
General sewing machine ...................... 1952 190.001
General sewing machine ....................... 1957. 108.601
1 TCKT, No. 4, 1957, p. 6. This source gives the total production value of
unit output in constant 1952 prices and in current (1957) prices.
The ex-factory price series for sewing machines is derived from the data
above, as follows:
Price (Current
Yuan/Unit)
1952 ......... 190.00
1957 ......... 108.60
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General sewing machine ......................
1965
140.00
Average of nine unit prices, nationwide.........
1972
152.78
General sewing machine, Peking area ..........
1972
137.00
General sewing machine, Peking area ..........
1974
167.00
The retail price series for sewing machines is derived from the data above,
as follows:
Price (Current
Yuan/Unit) Comment
1965...... 140.00
1972...... 152.00 The mean of the 1972 and the 1974 unit prices.
Agricultural Machinery
Tilling Tools
The common double-wheel double-blade (DWDB) plow is taken as the
standard for this category.
Type 51 plow production value ...............
1952
25.001
Type 51 plow production value ...............
1957
15.871
DWDB plow model L-2-20 ...................
1953
90.002
1955
105.002
1956
61.502
DWDB plow ...............................
1974
27.30
1 TCKT, No. 4, 1957, p. 6.
2 CHKY, No. 21, 1957, pp. 32-33. This article indicated that the price of
the plow was set below manufacturing cost at times and profit was realized
only when the cost of production was reduced.
The price series for the double-wheel double-blade plow is derived from the
data above, as follows:
Price
(Current
Yuan/
Unit)
1952
..........
90.00
The 1953 unit price.
1957
..........
61.50
The 1956 unit price.
1965
..........
44.00
Interpolated between the 1956 and
rices
1974 unit
1972 .......... 27.30
p
.
The 1974 unit price.
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Sowing Machinery
Year
Price
(Current
Yuan/
Unit)
Seeders
5-row ....................................
1973
492.40
5-row ....................................
1973
526.00
10-row ...................................
1973
726.00
24-row ...................................
1973
1,900.00
Harvesting Machinery
There are not enough prices on comparable items to construct a time series.
The data suggest a downward trend in the prices of harvesting machinery.
Rocker arm harvester ......................
1954
850.001
Rocker arm harvester ......................
1955
750.001
Rocker arm harvester ......................
1956
460.001
Combine harvester ........................
1956
41,740.001
Combine harvester ........................
1957
20,000.001
Thresher made in the Lin-hsien machine plant.
1974
600.00
Kung-nung brand, 2S-700 thresher ..........
1974
1,500.00
One source stated that there was a 20%
operated threshers in 1966.2
1 CIIKY, No. 21, 1957, pp. 32-33.
2 FBIS, 4 Nov 1966, p. ddd2.
Irrigation and Water-Lifting Machinery
price reduction on power-
Tractors
Fifteen-Horsepower Units and Actual Units
There are wide differences in price between models of tractors. Although
listed below, the prices of hand-guided tractors (less than 15 HP nominal) were
not used in deriving the price series for tractors. The conversion to drawbar
horsepower from nominal horsepower is assumed to be 0.64 to 1.0 unless other-
wise known.' For a complete listing of tractor models see JPRS, No. 63,091,
30 Sep 1974.
Drawbar
HP
Year
Price
(Yuan)
Yuan/15
HP
5-HP tractor ................
3.2
1956
9,941.802
46,602
2-IIP hand tractor...........
1.3
1973
2,000.00
23,077
5-HP hand tractor...........
3.2
1973
4,000.00
18,750
Iron Ox 7-HP tractor ........
4.5
1973
10,000.00
33,3333
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Drawbar
HP
Year
Price
(Yuan)
Yuan/15
HP
Standard tractor ............
15.0
1957
....
10,3714
54-HP tractor ..............
36.0
1959
21,0005
8,750
Standard tractor ............
15.0
1960
....
10,000 6
Standard tractor ............
15.0
1961
....
10,8007
Average Loyang tractor ......
36.0
1965
20,833
8,681
Iron Ox, 55-HP .............
35.2
1972
25,000
10,653
Tung-fang-hung 75-HP.......
48.0
1972
40,000
12,500
Tung-fang-hung 75-HP.......
48.0
1973
30,0008
9,375
Tung-fang-hung 28-HP.......
18.0
1973
18,000
15,000
Feng-shou 35-HP............
24.0
1973
18,000
11,250
Iron Ox, 55-IIP .............
35.2
1974
13,000
5,540
I CHCC, No. 8, 1958, p. 41. Nine foreign-made tractors are described.
2 ECMM, No. 67, 28 Jan 1957, p. 18.
3 This may actually be an 11-HP hand-guided tractor (see note No. 8,
below).
4 FBIS, 6 Mar 1957, p. bbb4. The article states that 2,178 million yuan is
equal to the cost of 210,000 standard 15-FIP tractors.
5 Costs and price were given as identical-there was no factory markup
on tractors.
6 TKP, 5 Oct 1960, Peking, p. 3.
7 TKP, 30 Apr 1961, Peking.
8 This source reported the price to be that of a Tung-fang-hung 54
tractor from the Loyang Tractor Plant in 1973. Because the Loyang plant
was not making the Tung-fang-hung 54 at that time, the price has been
assigned to the Tung-fang-hung 75, which was in current production
in 1973.
The price series-for tractors is derived from the data above, as follows:
Price (Current Yuan/
Standard 15-HP Unit Comment
1957.......... 10,371
1965.......... 8,681
1972.......... 10,720 The mean of the unit prices for the
six large tractors in 1972-74.
Railroad Rolling Stock and Equipment
Steam Locomotives
Two types of steam locomotives are priced. The MK-1 (a copy of the
Japanese Mikado locomotive), with 1,500 HP, was produced from 1952 through
1957. The Peace model, with 2,780 HP,1 appeared in prototype form in 1956
and was the production mainstay for steam locomotives during the 1960s.
Year Yuan/Unit
NIK-1 .................................... 1952 200,0002
M K-i .................................... 1957 220,0003
I People's China, 1 Nov 1957, p. 34.
2 The ex-factory price of this locomotive, as reported.
3 Jen-min l'ieh lao, 12 Oct 1957, Peking, p. 1. This price then implies a
markup of 29.7% over the average cost of 169,686 yuan given in CHKY,
No. 6, 1958, p. 9, and an 47.8% markup over the cost of the low-cost producer
in the same article. These markups were applied to the freight car costs in
the next section.
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No price reference for a Chinese Peace locomotive has been found. The 1957
price has been estimated by analogy with Soviet locomotive prices for models
similar to the Chinese units. The 1965 price was estimated by deflating the 1957
price by an index of boiler prices. Prices of Soviet steam locomotives are
as follows:
Model
Description
Price (1955
Rubles)
L.........
Steam locomotive, 102 tons, 2-10-0 wheel
arrangement.
465,0001
LV .......
Steam locomotive, 122 tons, 2-10-2 wheel
600, 0001
arrangement.
1 USSR, Ministerstvo Finansov, Spravochnik tsen na stroitelnyye
materialy i oborudovaniye (Handbook of Prices for Construction Materials
and Equipment), Moscow, 1956, Part II, pp. 877-878.
The ratio of the price of a Chinese Peace locomotive to the price of the
Chinese MK-1 locomotive is estimated to have been the same as the ratio of the
Soviet price of the LV locomotive and the L locomotive. The price of a Chinese
Peace locomotive in 1957 yuan is calculated as 1.29 times the 1957 unit price
of the MK-1.
Two price series for steam locomotives are derived from the data above,
as follows:
MK-1 Locomotives
Price (Current
Yuan/Unit) Comment
1952...... 200,000 ????
1957...... 220,000 ....
Peace Locomotive
Price (Current
Yuan/Unit)
Comment
1957......
283,800
The unit price of the MK-1 in 1957 yuan times
1.29.
1965......
244,352
The 1957 unit price deflated by an index of the
unit price of boilers in 1957 and 1965.
(1957 =100.0, 1965 = 86.1).
No price reference for a Chinese diesel locomotive has been found. The 1957
price has been estimated by analogy with Soviet locomotive prices for models
similar to the Chinese units. The 1965 and 1972 prices have been estimated by
deflating the 1957 price by an index derived from the prices of diesel engines and
electric motors. Prices of Soviet locomotives are as follows:
Price (1955
Model Description Rubles)
L......... Steam locomotive, 102 tons, 2-10-0 wheel 465,0001
arrangement.
TE-3..... Diesel locomotive, 2,000 HP .............. 1,600,0002
1 USSR, Ministerstvo Finansov, op. cit., pp. 877-878.
2 Belenky, M. N., Teplovoznaya tyagi i yeye effektivnost (Diesel Traction
and its Effectiveness), Moscow, 1956, p. 65.
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The ratio of the price of a Chinese 2,000-HP diesel locomotive to the price of
the Chinese MK-1 steam locomotive is estimated to have been the same as the
ratio of the Soviet price of the TE-3 diesel locomotive and the L-type steam
locomotive. The price of a Chinese diesel locomotive in 1957 yuan is calculated
as 3.44 times the 1957 unit price of the MK-1.
The prices of diesel locomotives in 1965 and 1972 are estimated by deflating
the 1957 price by an index for the price of major components. The price index
(1957 = 100) is derived as follows:
Diesel engines ...........................
94,7
97.3
Electric motors .................. . .......
79.0
55.3
Average of above ........................
86.8
76.3
The price series for diesel locomotives is derived from the data above, as
follows:
Price
(Current Yuan)
2,000 HP)
1957......
756,800
The price of the MVMK-1 in 1957 yuan times 3.44.
1965......
656,900
The 1957 price deflated by the price index for
major components.
1972......
577,440
The 1957 price deflated by the price index for
major components.
U-50 gondola car ............................ 1957 19,3891
1 CHK Y, No. 6, 1958, p. 9. Production costs for two plants manufacturing
the U-50 gondola car are given as 16,121 yuan and 13,319 yuan per car. The
average cost per freight car of 14,720 yuan was marked up by 29.7% to yield
an estimate of 19,092 yuan for the ex-factory price. A second estimate was
made by marking up the low-cost producer's cost by 47.8% for a price of
19,685 yuan. The mean of these two estimates (19,389 yuan) was used as the
1957 unit price. The markups used were derived from the cost and price data
for steam locomotives.
The price series for freight cars is derived from the data above, as follows:
Price (Current
Yuan/Unit) Comment
1952...... 21,361 The 1957 unit price inflated by the Shanghai
Wholesale Price Index.
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Merchant Vessels
Self-Powered Boats
The Min-chu No. 11, a passenger steamship, is priced below by both
deadweight tonnage and light-ship displacement (empty weight).
Weight
(Tons)
Year
Yuan/
Ton
Passenger steamship (Min-chu No. 11):
Deadweight tonnage .................
1,0101
1956
4,9462
Light-ship displacement ..............
1,6501
1956
3,0282
1 JPRS, No. 488-D, Design of the Coastal Small-Harbor Passenger-Cargo
Ships, Min-chu No. 10 and Min-chu No. 11, 9 Jan 1959, pp. 6-8.
2 ECMM, No. 67, 28 Jan 1957, p. 18 states: ". . . with 1,988,360,000
yuan we can build . . . 398 passenger steamships such as the Min-chu No. 11
launched in 1956."
Two price series for shipbuilding (in current yuan per deadweight ton and
per light-ship displacement) are derived from the data above, as follows:
Current Current
Yuan/DWT Yuan/LSD Comment
1952...... 5,449 3,336 The 1957 unit prices inflated
by the Shanghai Wholesale
Price Index.
The standard item for the price series of motor vehicles is the 4-ton Libera-
tion (Chieh-fang) brand of truck. Prices of other motor vehicles are also noted.
The variation in the 1971 prices may be explained in part by the priority status
of the purchaser. For example, trucks purchased for agricultural work appear to
cost less than trucks for other uses. Source No. 1 gave the price for 1960 and 1971
for the same end user, indicating a price reduction over the period. For detailed
information on specific truck types, see JPRS, No. 60,262, 12 Oct 1973.
Liberation truck, 4 ton .......................
1960
18,000,
Liberation truck, 4 ton .......................
1964
17,000
Liberation truck, 4 ton .......................
1971
12,0001
Liberation truck, 4 ton .......................
1971
15,000
Liberation truck, 4 ton .......................
1971
10,0002
Kuang-thou truck, 3 ton .....................
1971
20,000
Peiching jeep (possibly a small van or bus). .. ..
1972
35,000
Liberation truck, 4 ton .......................
1972
15,5663
Liberation truck, 4 ton .......................
1972
14,5009
Liberation truck, 4 ton .......................
1973
16,000
1 Made in Ch'ang-ch'un. Purchaser was an electric powerplant:
2 Purchaser was a commune.
3 Unit price for a lot of five trucks. Transport charges may be included.
4 Unit price for a lot of 100 trucks.
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The price series for motor vehicles is derived from the data above, as follows:
Price (Current
Yuan/4-Ton
Truck)
Comment
1957......
18,000
The 1960 price.
1965......
17,000
The 1964 price.
1972......
13,844
The mean of the six 1971-73 prices.
Telecommunication Equipment and Parts
Radio Receivers
Vacuum Tube Radios
A five-tube, single-band, radio is assumed to be the most common tube
type of radio and is taken as the standard for the price series. The following are
retail prices, not ex-factory prices.
7-tube Shanghai brand .....................
1957
185.00
Model 102 5-tube 2-band ...................
1961
90.00
Model 101 5-tube 2-band ...................
1961
80.00
General 5-tube set .........................
1961
50.00 (or less)
3-tube set ................................
1972
18.60
5-tube 2-band set ..........................
1972
180.00
8-tube set ................................
1973
80.00-120.001
4-tube set ................................
1974
45.00
2-band Shanghai brand .....................
1974
120.002
1 Price varied with the brand.
2 A pre-March 1973 price of 144 yuan was also given.
The ratio 45:120, or 0.375, derived from the 1974 prices for the four-tube set
and the two-band Shanghai brand set, was used to adjust any seven- or eight-
tube set price to a five-tube price. Thus the 1957 price for a five-tube radio
(69.38 yuan) was derived from the 185 yuan price for the seven-tube radio. To
adjust from a two-band price to single-band price, the ratio 50:85, or 0.588,
determined from the 1961 prices, was used.
The price series for tube-type radios is derived from the data above,
as follows:
Price (Current
Yuan/Set)
Comment
1952......
75.00
The 1957 unit price inflated by the consumer
goods price deflator of 1952 =100, 1957 =
92.5.
1957......
69.38
0.375 times the 1957 unit price of the seven-
tube radio set.
1965......
50.00
The 1961 unit price.
1972.......
57.90
The mean of the adjusted 1972-74 unit prices
for the five sets.
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The following are retail prices, not ex-factory prices.
Mei-to brand, small ..........................
1964
160.00
Fei-le brand, 4Lrge (nine transistors) ...........
1964
100.00
Fei-le brand, small (eight transistors) ..........
1964
60.00
Price range in Hei-lung-kiang.................
1972
25.00-140.00
Price range in Shanghai city ..................
1972
68-80.00
Price range in the Shanghai area ..............
1972
70.00-110.00
Average transistor price ......................
1972
84.00
Transistor, national average
Prior to 1 Oct .............................
1972
92.711
After 1 Oct ...............................
1972
77.571
Model 802 (eight-transistor, two-band)
Prior to Mar ..............................
1973
130.00
After Mar ................................
1973
110.00
Model 703 (seven-transistor, three-band)
Prior to Mar ..............................
1973
110.00
After Mar ................................
1973
92.00
Model 602 (six-transistor, two-band)
Prior to Mar ..............................
1973
76.00
After Mar ................................
1973
55.00
Model 502 (five-transistor, two-band)
Prior to Mar ..............................
1973
40.00
After Mar ................................
1973
35.00
Model 401 (four-transistor, one-band)
Prior to Mar ..............................
1973
33.00
After Mar ................................
1973
19.00
1 Given as the national average price by this source.
The price series for transistor radios is derived from the data above,
as follows:
Price
(Current Yuan/Set)
Comment
1957..........
106.70
The mean of the three 1964 unit
prices.
1965..........
106.70
The mean of the three 1964 unit
prices.
1972..........
92.71
Approved For Release 2001/07/30 : CIA-RDP79-00928A000200020004-8
 Approved For Release 2001/07/30 : CIA-RDP79-00928A000200020004-8
Cultural and Consumer Products
Bicycles
The following are retail prices, not ex-factory prices.
Year
Yuan/Unit
The mean of six unit prices .................
1952
147.161
18" Red Kapok brand ......................
1964
156.70
General-price range ........................
1965
150.00-200.00
The average price in the area of
Hei-lung-kiang..........................
1972
137.00-170.00
Honan .................................
1972
150.00
Peking .................................
1972
150.00-180.00
Shanghai city ...........................
1972
150.00
Shanghai area ...........................
1972
160.00
Red Cotton brand .........................
1972
134.00
Yung-chiu brand ..........................
1972
175.00
Phoenix brand ............................
1972
176.00
Flying Pigeon brand .......................
1972
180.00
General price in Peking area ...............
1972
137.00
General price in Peking area ...............
1974
153.00
1 KYCT, No. 1, 1952 and Kang Chao, The Rate and Pattern of Industrial
Growth in Communit China, The University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor,
1965, p. 157.
Considering the above prices it appears that the price of bicycles has been
reasonably constant for a number of years. Prices vary between brands from
about 135.00 yuan to about 200.00 yuan.
The price series for bicycles is derived from the data above, as follows:
Price
(Current Yuan/Unit) Comment
1952.......... 147.16
1957.......... 160.00
Assuming that the price of bicycles
has been constant from 1957
through 1974, the mean of the 13
unit prices is used for all those
years.
1965.......... 160.00
1972.......... 160.00
Wristwatches
The following are retail prices, not ex-factory prices.
Year
Yuan/Unit
The mean of 27 unit prices ...................
1957
112.001
Average watch ..............................
1974
120.002
1 An average from many reports.
2 Prices vary from 85.00 yuan for the cheapest 17-jewel watch to more
than 200.00 yuan for other models. The average price of 120.00 yuan is
fairly consistent from many reports over a number of years; thus the 1965
and 1972 unit prices have been assumed to be 120.00 yuan.
Approved For Release 2001/07/30 : CIA-RDP79-00928A000200020004-8
 Approved For Release 2001/07/30 : CIA-RDP79-00928A000200020004-8
The price series for wristwatches is derived from the data above, as follows:
' Price
(Current Yuan/Unit)
Comment
1957..........
112.00
1965..........
120.00
Assumed to have been constant for
1965--74.
1972..........
120.00
Assumed to have been constant for
1965-74.
Approved For Release 2001/07/30 : CIA-RDP79-00928A000200020004-8