China Country Report
China determined to reform and perfect its census system because the SAS
(severe acute respiratory) epidemic had greatly impacted the service industry in the year.
In 2003, approved by the State Council, the National Bureau of Statistics, National
Development & Reform Commission and Ministry of Finance conducted a joint research
and decided to make important adjustments to the scope of national censuses and their
periodical arrangement. The tertiary industry census originally scheduled in 2003 was
postponed and integrated it with the industrial census scheduled in 2005 and the census of
basic units scheduled in 2006. The first national economic census was scheduled to be
undertaken in 2004 that brought the construction into the census scope. The National
Economic Census Regulations were particularly enacted by the Chinese government in
accordance with the Statistics Law of PRC. Thus, the national economic census should be
undertaken twice every 10 years and in years ending in 3 and 8.
The purpose of undertaking economic censuses is to collect the information on the
second and tertiary industries in terms of their development scale, structure and economic
benefit, establish and perfect the business register and database system, lay a solid
foundation for research and formulation of the national economic and social development
plan and for improving decision-making and management. It will play an important role
in reforming the statistical system, perfecting the national economic accounting system
and perfecting the statistical monitoring, warning and forecasting system.
Respondents in national economic census include corporate units, establishments
and self -employed enterprises of the second and tertiary industries in China. The census
scope covers 19 national economic sectors except agriculture, which are classified into 90
major groups, 378 groups and 875 small groups.
The method of complete enumeration is used in the national economic cens