Research On Commercial Geography In Gaolei Area During The Republic Of China

Before 1927,separatist regime setting up by warlords with force of arms and rampage of bandits led huge damage to the commodity economy in Gaolei.From1927 to 1937,political situation in Guangdong was stable and the government's active economic policies made the region's commodity economy develop smoothly.There was a prosperous transit trade in this area at the beginning of War of Resistance Against Japan,but on the whole,War of Resistance Against Japan has caused great damage to the region's commodity economy.According to the distribution pattern of commodities in each county of this region,all kinds of agricultural and industrial products are mainly sold in the fair of the county,the town commercial center or the neighboring counties,and the rest products are mainly transported to Meilu,Shuidong,Anpu,Leizhou and other ports to transited Guangzhou bay,Hong Kong,Macao,Guangzhou,Guangxi,Hainan and other places.The largest exported commodity in this region is Mat Bale which is distributed in Leizhou port or Guangzhou bay,and then transported to Hong Kong and Macao and to Taiwan,Japan and other domestic and foreign markets by intermediary trade and this commodity is most affected by the international market.The next is sugar which is mainly sold to places like Guangzhou,Shanghai,Hong Kong,Jiangmen,Qiongzhou,Beihai.Other major exported commodities are poultry,garlic,etc.,mostly exported to Guangdong,Hong Kong and Macao.Inland transportation mainly depends on rivers.Jianjiang river mainly connects the trade and transportation within Gaozhou and Jiuzhou river and Xinyi Pearl river system trade road promote the trade between this region and today's Guangxi.Through the internal and external connection of ports such as Shuidong,Anpu,Huangpo and Leizhou port,it realizes the trade with Guangzhou bay,Hong Kong,Macao,Guangzhou,Guangxi,Hainan and other places and the vehicles include modern small ships,electric boats and traditional sailing boats.DuringWar of Resistance Against Japan,the transit trade in Gaolei area was prosperous,so thecommercial road was extended to the whole southwest and north Guangdong,becoming the material transfer channel in the rear area of War of Resistance Against Japan.The commercial traffic influences the distribution of the market.Area along Jianjiang and Jiuzhou river are where fair gather.The fair on Leizhou peninsula is mostly distributed along the coast and highway.Part of core fairs such as Shigu and Gongguan of Maoming and Xuwen Wushi so forth are prosperous in commerce and have become the commodity distribution and transfer center for a radius of 100 li.During this period,the commercial center of the county-governed towns developed slowly while the riverside and coastal port commercial centers such as Shuidong,Meilupu,Onpu and Leizhou port grew rapidly.These port towns have many commodity export agencies which were responsible for the input and output of commodities of the district.Gaolei area is most affected by the radiation from the nearby Guangzhou bay port.Because of natural geography,underdeveloped commodity production and inconvenient transportation,the district did not form a unified commercial center in the period of Republic of China.