<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 04/30/96
000 C000000 0000845379
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 THE CHINA FUND, INC.
001 B000000 811-6672
001 C000000 2128080500
002 A000000 C/O HSBC JAMES CAPEL INC 250 PARK AVENUE
002 B000000 NEW YORK
002 C000000 NY
002 D010000 10177
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 HSBC ASSET MANAGEMENT HONG KONG LIMITED
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-29922
008 D010001 HONG KONG
008 D050001 HONG KONG
008 A000002 HSBC PRIVATE EQUITY MANAGEMENT HONG KONG LTD
008 B000002 A
008 C000002 801-41785
008 D010002 HONG KONG
008 D050002 HONG KONG
010 A000001 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
010 C010001 BOSTON
010 C020001 MA
010 C030001 02105
012 A000001 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
012 B000001 84-896
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02105
<PAGE> PAGE 2
013 A000001 KPMG PEAT MARWICK LLP
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
013 B030001 02108
014 A000001 WARDLEY JAMES CAPEL (FAR EAST) LTD.
014 B000001 8-xxxx
014 A000002 JAMES CAPEL INCORPORATED
014 B000002 8-32121
014 A000003 JAMES CAPEL & CO. LIMITED
014 B000003 8-xxxx
014 A000004 WARDLEY JAMES CAPEL HOLDINGS, LIMITED
014 B000004 8-xxxx
015 A000001 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02105
015 E010001 X
015 A000002 HONGKONG AND SHANGHAI BANKING CORP. LTD.
015 B000002 S
015 C010002 SHENZHEN
015 D010002 CHINA
015 E040002 X
015 A000003 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK, HONG KONG BRANCH
015 B000003 S
015 C010003 HONG KONG
015 D010003 HONG KONG
015 E040003 X
015 A000004 WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION
015 B000004 S
015 C010004 SYDNEY
015 D010004 AUSTRALIA
015 E040004 X
015 A000005 CANADA TRUSTCO MORTGAGE COMPANY
015 B000005 S
015 C010005 TORONTO
015 D010005 CANADA
015 E040005 X
015 A000006 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK, JAKARTA BRANCH
015 B000006 S
015 C010006 JAKARTA
015 D010006 INDONESIA
015 E040006 X
015 A000007 DAIWA BANK, LTD.
015 B000007 S
015 C010007 TOKYO
015 D010007 JAPAN
015 E040007 X
015 A000008 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK, KUALA LUMPUR BRANCH
015 B000008 S
015 C010008 KUALA LUMPUR
<PAGE> PAGE 3
015 D010008 MALAYSIA
015 E040008 X
015 A000009 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK, MANILA BRANCH
015 B000009 S
015 C010009 MANILA
015 D010009 PHILIPPINES
015 E040009 X
015 A000010 HONG KONG & SHANGHAI BANK.CORP.-TAIPEI BRANCH
015 B000010 S
015 C010010 TAIPEI
015 D010010 TAIWAN
015 E040010 X
015 A000011 STANDARD CHARTERED BANK, BANGKOK BRANCH
015 B000011 S
015 C010011 BANGKOK
015 D010011 THAILAND
015 E040011 X
015 A000012 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST, LONDON BRANCH
015 B000012 S
015 C010012 LONDON
015 D010012 UNITED KINGDOM
015 E040012 X
015 A000013 STATE STREET LONDON LIMITED
015 B000013 S
015 C010013 LONDON
015 D010013 UNITED KINGDOM
015 E040013 X
015 A000014 DEVELOPMENT BANK OF SINGAPORE LTD.
015 B000014 S
015 C010014 SINGAPORE
015 D010014 SINGAPORE
015 E040014 X
015 A000015 CENTRAL TRUST OF CHINA
015 B000015 S
015 C010015 TAIPEI
015 D010015 TAIWAN
015 E040015 X
015 A000016 HONG KONG SHANGHAI BANK-SHANGHAI BRANCH
015 B000016 S
015 C010016 SHANGHAI
015 D010016 CHINA
015 E040016 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 N
019 B000000 0
020 A000001 PEREGRINE BROKERAGE LTD.
020 C000001 35
020 A000002 CREDIT LYONNAIS ASIA
020 C000002 30
020 A000003 W.I. CARR. (FAR EAST) LTD.
020 C000003 30
<PAGE> PAGE 4
020 A000004 CROSBY SECURITIES HONG KONG
020 C000004 18
020 A000005 BEAR STEARNS SECURITIES
020 C000005 11
020 A000006 HG ASIA SECURITIES LTD.
020 C000006 10
020 A000007 MORGAN STANLEY & COMPANY
020 C000007 10
020 A000008 BARING SECURITIES HONG KONG
020 C000008 10
020 A000009 SCHRODEDER ASIA HONG KONG
020 C000009 7
020 A000010 YAMAICHI INTERNATIONAL
020 C000010 5
021 000000 193
022 A000001 LEHMAN BROTHER
022 C000001 32837
022 D000001 0
022 A000002 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST CO.
022 C000002 31491
022 D000002 0
022 A000003 CREDIT LYONNAIS (ASIA)
022 C000003 8963
022 D000003 0
022 A000004 PEREGRINE BROKERAGE LTD.
022 C000004 8517
022 D000004 0
022 A000005 W.I. CARR. (FAR EAST) LTD.
022 C000005 4860
022 D000005 0
022 A000006 BARING SECURITIES HONG KONG
022 C000006 4041
022 D000006 0
022 A000007 CROSBY SECURITIES HONG KONG
022 C000007 3571
022 D000007 0
022 A000008 SCHRODEDER ASIA HONG KONG
022 C000008 2833
022 D000008 0
022 A000009 JARED MULCAY & COMPANY
022 C000009 2651
022 D000009 0
022 A000010 BANK OF NEW YORK
022 C000010 2511
022 D000010 0
023 C000000 129245
023 D000000 0
024 000000 N
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
<PAGE> PAGE 5
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 N
026 B000000 N
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 Y
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 N
028 A010000 0
028 A020000 0
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 0
028 B010000 0
028 B020000 0
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 0
028 C010000 0
028 C020000 0
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 0
028 D010000 0
028 D020000 0
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 0
028 E010000 0
028 E020000 0
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 0
028 F010000 0
028 F020000 0
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 0
028 G010000 0
028 G020000 0
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 0
028 H000000 0
030 A000000 0
030 B000000 0.00
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 0
031 B000000 0
032 000000 0
033 000000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 6
035 000000 0
036 B000000 0
038 000000 0
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 0
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 0
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
048 000000 1.500
048 A010000 0
048 A020000 0.000
048 B010000 0
048 B020000 0.000
048 C010000 0
048 C020000 0.000
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 0
048 K020000 0.000
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 A000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 N
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
<PAGE> PAGE 7
054 H000000 Y
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 N
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 Y
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 Y
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
058 B000000 N
058 C000000 N
058 D000000 N
058 E000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 N
060 B000000 N
061 000000 0
062 A000000 N
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 0.0
062 D000000 0.0
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.0
062 H000000 0.0
062 I000000 0.0
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 0.0
062 N000000 0.0
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 0.0
062 Q000000 0.0
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 0.0
066 A000000 Y
066 B000000 N
066 C000000 Y
066 D000000 N
066 E000000 N
066 F000000 N
066 G000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 8
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 Y
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 N
070 D010000 Y
070 D020000 N
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 Y
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 Y
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 Y
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 N
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 25325
071 B000000 29361
071 C000000 134631
071 D000000 19
072 A000000 6
072 B000000 167
072 C000000 1270
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 1040
072 G000000 60
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 10
072 J000000 224
<PAGE> PAGE 9
072 K000000 17
072 L000000 18
072 M000000 99
072 N000000 0
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 30
072 S000000 50
072 T000000 0
072 U000000 15
072 V000000 87
072 W000000 118
072 X000000 1768
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 -331
072AA000000 0
072BB000000 1338
072CC010000 818087
072CC020000 0
072DD010000 987
072DD020000 0
072EE000000 0
073 A010000 0.0910
073 A020000 0.0000
073 B000000 0.0000
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 1288
074 B000000 749
074 C000000 4270
074 D000000 0
074 E000000 0
074 F000000 94702
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 35581
074 J000000 2721
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 210
074 M000000 121
074 N000000 139641
074 O000000 1459
074 P000000 0
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 464
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 137718
074 U010000 10845
<PAGE> PAGE 10
074 U020000 0
074 V010000 12.70
074 V020000 0.00
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 998
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 139365
076 000000 13.63
077 A000000 Y
077 C000000 Y
077 Q010000 Y
077 Q020000 Y
078 000000 N
080 A000000 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INS. CO OF PITTS., PA
080 C000000 600
081 A000000 N
081 B000000 0
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
086 A010000 42
086 A020000 987
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
087 A010000 COMMON STOCK
087 A020000 169373107
087 A030000 CHN
088 A000000 N
088 B000000 N
088 C000000 N
088 D000000 N
SIGNATURE DENNIS WONG
TITLE COMP. ADMINISTRAOTR
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-31-1996
<PERIOD-END> APR-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 129,369,299
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 135,301,093
<RECEIVABLES> 2,930,826
<ASSETS-OTHER> 1,408,707
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 139,640,626
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 1,459,408
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 463,150
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 1,922,558
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 145,934,800
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 10,844,937
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 10,842,082
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> (335,320)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (13,812,972)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 5,931,560
<NET-ASSETS> 137,718,068
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 1,270,213
<INTEREST-INCOME> 166,669
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 1,767,963
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (331,081)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (1,337,693)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 818,087
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (850,687)
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (986,629)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 2,855
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (1,794,934)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 982,389
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (12,475,279)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,039,543
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1,767,963
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 139,364,681
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.87
<PER-SHARE-NII> (0.03)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.05)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.09)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.70
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 2.55
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
