Explainer: China to carry out high-quality 5th national economic census

BEIJING, July 22 (Xinhua) -- China will conduct its fifth national economic census in August 2023, Kang Yi, head of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The State Council held a teleconference on July 7 concerning the fifth national economic census for full mobilization and deployment regarding the relevant work, according to Kang, who is also deputy head of the leading group for China's 5th national economic census.

The census takes place every five years. It will help obtain scientific and accurate statistical information for improving macroeconomic governance and scientifically formulating medium and long-term development plans.

PROGRESS UNDERWAY

The fifth national economic census plan will be issued and implemented soon, Kang said.

According to the work schedule, a comprehensive and thorough indoor survey will be carried out from August to October.

This survey aims to figure out the basic situation and distribution of all legal entities, industrial activity units and self-employed households engaged in secondary and tertiary industry activities in China.

IMPLEMENTATION WORK

The State Council has established a leading group for the economic census, responsible for organizing and implementing the fifth national economic census, coordinating, and solving major issues during the census.

The NBS is leading the establishment of an economic census office composed of 33 departments, responsible for the specific work in the census, according to Kang.

The main content of the census includes the basic information, organizational structure, personnel wages, production capacity, financial status, production management, energy production and consumption, R&D, IT development, and e-commerce transactions, as well as the structure of the input, the use of products and the composition of fixed asset investments.

KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE

Unlike previous censuses, the upcoming national economic census will simultaneously carry out an input-output survey, according to Kang.

The concurrent surveys will improve statistical coordination and cut content overlaps to achieve a better result.