Accurate Statistics on Losses Caused by SARS Urged

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Sunday, May 25, 2003

Accurate Statistics on Losses Caused by SARS Urged

The National Bureau of Statistics urged all branches of statistics bodies to do their duty honestly to accurately reflect China's economic losses caused by SARS in May and June.

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The National Bureau of Statistics urged all branches of statistics bodies to do their duty honestly to accurately reflect China's economic losses caused by SARS in May and June.

"All local statistics bodies should keep a close eye on the effects of SARS on any economic and social sector and report the regional statistics according to the facts,'' the bureau said in a circular issued earlier this week.

The bureau said the biggest outbreak of SARS occurred in the last 10 days of April but this had no obvious effect on China's economy last month because of the inertia of economic development. China's year-on-year economic growth stood at 8.9 per cent in April, while the figure was 9.9 per cent for the first quarter of this year.

However, the negative effects will gradually be seen in economic indices for May and June.

"The situation is a challenge to statistics branches nationwide and it is a test to see if they can speak the truth,'' said the bureau.

The bureau said the central government needs accurate, practical and exact reports and statistics and even the slightest cover-up should not be allowed.

Experts said the bureau's circular is timely but they voiced fears that some local officials will defy the order in the circular.

Lin Yueqin, a researcher with the Research Institute of Economics under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said: "The statistics for May and June will attract a lot of attention and the work should be done seriously.''

However, the order cannot stop all false reporting by local statistics bodies because a small proportion of officials believe that the higher the local economic indices that are reported, the more likely they will be promoted, said Lin.

Lin gave some suggestions to curb such false reporting.

First, local statistics bodies should not be part of local governments but should be directly under the control of the national bureau, he said.

Second, the promotion of officials should not be mainly based on economic growth indices in the regions where they work. Instead, social development indicators, such as the jobless rate and income levels, should be considered, said Lin.

The bureau said officials who cover up the facts should be punished in line with the Law on Statistics.

The bureau did not forecast how serious an effect SARS would have on China's economy.

Civil aviation, tourism, the taxi business and retail commerce and trade have already been badly hit by SARS.

The bureau predicted that China's manufacturing industry, investment and foreign trade will also fall victim to the disease.

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