China's top statistician promised on Tuesday in Beijing to protect business confidentiality and privacy of all national economic survey respondents.

"In the publication, utilization and analysis of the survey results, departments and local governments concerned should continue to abide by the Statistics Law and the Regulations on National Economic Survey, to protect business confidentiality and privacy of the respondents, and to honor earnestly the commitments of not levying any penalties on the respondents on the basis of survey information," Li Deshui, Commissioner of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), said at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.

The NBS is working on the revision of data back to 1993 on the basis of the revised GDP figures in the survey year, using the trend deviation method which is widely adopted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Li said.

"Results of the revision will be released on another occasion," he said.

According to the State Council's decision, the survey results will be used as a basis for the central government and for local governments in compiling 2005 national account statistics, in highlighting economic and social development for the 10th Five-year Plan period (2001-2005), and in preparing the 11th Five-year Development Program and the 2006 annual development plan, he said.

Source: Xinhua