Doing Business with China

Regular census system

In accordance with the provisions of the Statistics Law of the People's Republic of China and requirements set by the State Council for the establishment of the national census system and reform of the statistical survey system, the National Bureau of Statistics officially initiated the regular census system in 1994. Census items include population, agriculture, industry, tertiary industry and basic units. A census on population, the tertiary industry, industry and agriculture is conducted every 10 years in years ending with 0, 3, 5 and 7 respectively. A census on basic units is held every five years in years ending with 1 and 6. The first round of regular censuses as legally required has been completed, culminating in the ending of the first nationwide agricultural census.

Commencing the second round of regular censuses, the National Bureau of Statistics conducted the second nationwide census on basic units in 2001. Respondents to this census were all legal entities and affiliated active industrial units across the country (excluding Taiwan Province , Hong Kong and Macao). The standard date for this census was 31 December 2001. The surveying year of the census data was 2001. Major contents of the census encompassed four aspects: basic information of units (code, name , address and communication numbers of the unit); major properties of the unit (industrial category, affiliation ); basic economic activities of the unit (total employment, actual capital utilization, fixed assets and operating revenue); other information of the unit (type of accounting system, number of active industrial units).

The system of regular annual and monthly statistical survey

Statistical Survey on Basic Units

Basic unit statistics are an annual survey carried out by provincial statistical agencies in non-census years under the instruction of the National Bureau of Statistics in order to obtain data on the total number of basic units across the country and their changes. This survey is the base of the regular survey system, with which to ascertain the number of various units across the country and the distribution among various localities and economic sectors, and to prepare the framework for sampling surveys.

Statistical Survey on Population and Labour

The sample survey on population change is an annual event conducted between two population censuses to collect information on the yearly population change. Major contents of the survey include the number of births and deaths, education and employment of the population. Surveyors make visits to households to register information. The sample size is 1 per cent of the entire population. In years ending with 5, it is increased by 1 per cent, and new contents are added.

The system of survey on labour includes the Urban Labour Survey and the General Statistics Reporting System on Labour. The system of the Urban Labour Survey is a quarterly sample survey system launched by the National Bureau of Statistics in 1996. The survey covers urban populations across the country with respondents selected from the age group of persons age 15 and over, taking households as the unit; The General Statistics Reporting System on Labour is a general requirement with regard to labour statistics set by the National Bureau of Statistics for provincial-level statistical agencies. Provincial-level statistical agencies, as required by the National Bureau of Statistics, instruct prefecture and county statistical officers to collect, process and report various labour statistical data, and submit the processed data to the National Bureau of Statistics.

Agriculture and Rural Statistical Surveys

The Agriculture and Rural Statistical Surveys include the Agriculture Production Sample Survey System, the Rural Community Basic Conditions Survey System and the General Statistics Reporting System on Agricultural, Forestry, Animal Husbandry and Fishery. Of these the Agriculture Production Sample Survey is a quarterly survey, while others are annual surveys.

Statistical Survey on Industry and Transportation

The Statistical Survey System on Industry includes the Overall Statistics Reporting System, the Direct Reporting System of Key Industrial Enterprises and the Sample Survey System of Sub-scale Industrial Enterprises. Of these the Overall Statistics Reporting System is a general requirement with regard to industrial and energy statistics set by the National Bureau of Statistics for provincial-level statistical agencies and relevant departments under the State Council. It covers all industrial enterprises with an individual annual revenue of and above 5 million renminbi and greater. The total number of respondent enterprises is 160,000. Major contents of the survey include production, input, output and sales. The Direct Reporting System of Key Industrial Enterprises was initiated by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2000, based on the existing data communications network within the statistical system. The selection of key enterprises are made by the National Bureau of Statistics with balanced consideration of their sale revenue, total assets and pre-tax profits. Selected enterprises report monthly data via the network in accordance with the format and other requirements set by the National Bureau of Statistics. Major contents of the survey include basic conditions of enterprises, major economic indicators, production, marketing, inventory and ordering, investment in technological development and labour conditions. The Sample Survey System of Sub-scale Industrial Enterprises is conducted twice every year to obtain data for the January-September period and the whole year respectively. The sub-scale industrial enterprises are selected from those industrial enterprises with an annual sales revenue below 5 million renminbi.

The Overall Statistics Reporting System on Transportation, Post and Telecommunications is a general requirement with regard to transportation, post and telecommunications statistics set by the National Bureau of Statistics for provincial-level statistical agencies and relevant departments under the State Council. Provincial-level agencies are required to report annually the total number of civil vehicles in the area of their respective jurisdiction. Departments under the State Council are required to report annually data on the total business volume, finance and energy consumption for highways, water traffic, ports, railways, aviation, pipeline transportation, post and telecommunications. They are also required to report monthly headline data for the foregoing statistics.

Statistical Survey on the Construction Industry, Real Estate and Fixed Assets Investment

This survey system includes the Overall Statistics Reporting System on the Construction Industry, the Overall Statistics Reporting System on Fixed Assets Investment, the Direct Network Reporting System of 3000 Key Real Estate Enterprises and the Sample Survey on Rural Fixed Assets Investment.

Statistical Survey on the Wholesale and Retail Trading and Catering Industry

The survey includes the Overall Statistic Reporting System on Wholesale and Retail Trading and Catering Industry, the Sample Survey on Sub-benchmark Wholesale and Retail Trading and the Catering Industry, and the Direct Reporting System on Key Wholesale and Retail Trading Enterprises.

Household Survey

The Household Survey includes the Rural Household Survey and the Urban Household Survey. Respondents of the Rural Household Survey are permanent households in the area with a residence of longer than a year. Major contents of the survey include basic information, per capita income and net income, daily consumption expenditure, the amount of major consumer goods consumption and the amount of durable goods. Taking the province as the universe, the method of multi-phase, random start and symmetrically equidistant sampling is applied. During the survey, sample households keep a record of their accounts and surveyors collect and report data monthly. The Urban Household Survey respondents are non-agricultural households in cities and county seats. Major contents of the survey include family members , employment details, cash income and expenditure, the amount of major goods purchased, housing conditions and the amount of durable goods. A total of 36,000 sample households are selected in 226 sample cities. During the survey, sample households keep a record of their accounts and surveyors collect and report data monthly.

Statistical Prices Survey

The Price Survey on Fixed Assets Investment, the Survey on Consumption Prices of Residents and the Survey on Prices of Industrial Goods together comprise the elements of the Prices Survey.

Besides these surveys, the National Bureau of Statistics also conducts other surveys, such as the Survey on Science and Technology, and the Enterprise Boom Cycle Survey, etc.