BEIJING, Sept 13 (Askume) – China’s top legislature approved a revised statistics law on Friday, state media said, putting an end to ongoing doubts about the reliability of data in the world’s second-largest economy.
China aims to establish a “complete, coordinated and efficient” statistical supervision system, the official Xinhua news agency said, citing the revised statistics law approved by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.
Local governments will be responsible for preventing and punishing statistical fraud, assessing the statistical work of senior officials, and bearing legal responsibility for statistical fraud in accordance with the law, Xinhua news agency said.
The Xinhua news agency said statistical work should “follow the leadership of the Communist Party of China”.
Earlier this week, state media quoted a spokesman for the top legislative body as saying the revised law would help strengthen prevention of statistical fraud and toughen penalties for officials who falsify economic data.
In recent years, statistical falsification and deception have been repeatedly prosecuted, causing serious damage to the authenticity and accuracy of statistical data.
“The public has reacted strongly, and this has become one of the outstanding issues that statistical work needs to resolve urgently.”
Analysts outside China have long been skeptical of the reliability of Chinese data, especially when the government has been trying to allay concerns about a prolonged economic slowdown.
The government has repeatedly vowed to investigate and punish officials who falsify economic data or interfere with statistical work to help improve data quality.
