Serve Scientific Development and Reshape Chinese Official Statistics IAOS Conference Shanghai, October 2008 Mr. Ma Jiantang, Commissionner, NBS of China 14 October 2008

Serve Scientific Development, Reshape Chinese Official Statistics Major Moves in Recent Years Severe Challenges Thoughts of the Future

Major Moves in Recent Years Improve Statistical Organizational Set-up –Set up survey offices under direct leadership of NBS –Set up the Department of Social, Science and Technology Statistics –Set up the Department of Energy Statistics –Set up inter-ministerial meeting mechanism for service statistics

Major Moves in Recent Years Improve the System of National Accounts –Adoption of United Nations SNA 1993 –Annual and Quarterly GDP Estimates

Major Moves in Recent Years Reform Statistical Survey Systems –Census: Population, Agriculture, Economic –Statistics on Different Sectors –Sample Surveys –Administrative Records

Major Moves in Recent Years Statistical Infrastructure Construction –Statistical Legislation –Information Technology

Severe Challenges Demands for Statistical Data Are On Dramatic Increase, More Diversified And Complicated –Demands for Economic, Social and Environmental Data –Regional Data –Demands by the Public –Demands by Overseas Investors

Severe Challenges Economic and Social Development Puts Higher Requirements on Official Statistics –Statistics to Keep Pace With the Development –Service-oriented Government –International Common Practice

Severe Challenges Economic and Social Changes Make it More Difficult to Conduct Statistical Surveys –Difficulty caused by the transition from planned economy to market economy –Difficulty caused by social changes –Difficulty caused by respondents’ concern of protection of privacy and business confidentiality

Severe Challenges Current Official Statistical System Needs to Be Improved –Address demands ： development, structure, people’s livelihood –Surveys: development, surveys, administrative records, IT, legislation –Policy decision-making

Thoughts of the Future Objectives of the Chinese Official Statistical System : To develop a modern statistical system that caters to the needs of socialist modernization and provides efficient services to national scientific development by producing more accurate, relevant and credible data. It must be accompanied with an improved organizational set-up, well- designed statistical survey systems, strong legal guarantee, use of advanced technology, high-quality workforce and good quality and efficient statistical services.

Thoughts of the Future Official Statistical Organization –Strengthen Centralized Leadership –Enhance Local Statistical Work –Strength Statistical Work at Other Government Departments

Thoughts of the Future Statistical Surveys –Statistical Standards –Statistical Indicator System –Periodical Census –Regular Statistical Surveys

Thoughts of the Future Data Collection –Business Register of Basic Units –Integration of Statistical Surveys –Statistical Methodologies –Administrative Records –Respondents’ Collaboration

Thoughts of the Future Statistical Legislation and Regulations –Statistical Laws –Make Public More Aware –Enforcement of Statistical Laws and Regulations

Thoughts of the Future IT Construction –IT Infrastructure Construction –Statistical Databases –Data Collection Software

Thoughts of the Future Statistical Services –Relevancy of Official Statistics –Data Dissemination –Statistical Services

Thank you!