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Chinese statistics: classification systems and data sources

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  • Holz, Carsten A

Abstract

China has become a popular geographic area of research. Researchers make extensive use of Chinese official statistics, but these statistics are often not well understood. This article first clarifies three major issues that affect a wide range of Chinese statistics—from output and employment data to industry profitability—and then elaborates on data sources. The three data issues are changes over time to the sectoral classification system, changes to the ownership classification system, and changes to the coverage of the industry sector. Many of these changes have gone unnoticed or remain poorly understood, leaving the researcher puzzled about varying labels, apparently inconsistent data, and discontinued time series. The second part of the paper offers a gateway to a wealth of Chinese statistics whose existence is not widely known. It also points out the limitations of some of these sources and provides an overview of the secondary literature that discusses the meaning and quality of particular Chinese statistics.

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  • Holz, Carsten A, 2013. "Chinese statistics: classification systems and data sources," MPRA Paper 43869, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:43869
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Hongqi Ma & Guangjun Shen, 2021. "Do new mayors bring fresh air? Some evidence of regulatory capture in China," Review of Economic Design, Springer;Society for Economic Design, vol. 25(4), pages 227-249, December.
    3. Holz, Carsten A., 2014. "Monthly industrial output in China 1980–2012," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 1-16.
    4. Paul J.J. Welfens & Tian Xiong, 2018. "The Effects of Foreign Direct Investment on Regional Innovation Capacity in China," EIIW Discussion paper disbei247, Universitätsbibliothek Wuppertal, University Library.
    5. Matthias Duschl & Shi-Shu Peng, 2013. "Chinese firm dynamics and the role of ownership type A conditional estimation approach of the Asymmetric Exponential Power (AEP) density," Papers on Economics and Evolution 2014-01, Philipps University Marburg, Department of Geography.
    6. Hao, Yu & Wang, Ling-Ou & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2020. "Financial development, energy consumption and China's economic growth: New evidence from provincial panel data," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 1132-1151.
    7. Carsten A. Holz, 2017. "The Chaning Patterns of Investment in the PRC Economy," CESifo Working Paper Series 6484, CESifo.
    8. Ting Wang & Areendam Chanda, 2016. "Manufacturing Growth and Local Multipliers in China," Departmental Working Papers 2016-02, Department of Economics, Louisiana State University.
    9. Holz, Carsten A., 2014. "The quality of China's GDP statistics," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 309-338.
    10. Wu, Mingqin & Yu, Linhui & Zhang, Junsen, 2023. "Road expansion, allocative efficiency, and pro-competitive effect of transport infrastructure: Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    11. Wang, Ting & Chanda, Areendam, 2018. "Manufacturing growth and local employment multipliers in China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 515-543.
    12. John Gibson & Chao Li, 2017. "The Erroneous Use Of China'S Population And Per Capita Data: A Structured Review And Critical Test," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 905-922, September.
    13. Ma, Ben & Song, Guojun & Zhang, Lei & Sonnenfeld, David A., 2014. "Explaining sectoral discrepancies between national and provincial statistics in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 353-369.
    14. Jingxian ZOU & Guangjun SHEN & Shen JIA, 2020. "How does labour share respond to risk? Theory and evidence from the Chinese industrial sector," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 159(2), pages 259-281, June.
    15. Holz, Carsten A, 2013. "Monthly industrial output in China since 1983," MPRA Paper 43867, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Li, Zhigang & Wu, Mingqin & Chen, Bin R., 2017. "Is road infrastructure investment in China excessive? Evidence from productivity of firms," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 116-126.
    17. Shen, Guangjun & Chen, Binkai, 2017. "Zombie firms and over-capacity in Chinese manufacturing," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 327-342.
    18. Holz, Carsten A., 2020. "Understanding PRC investment statistics," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    19. Bin Ni, 2013. "Are Investment Promotion Agencies Doing the Thing Right? Evidence from China," OSIPP Discussion Paper 13E004Rev., Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University, revised Jan 2015.
    20. Wang, Jingwen & Shen, Guangjun & Tang, Dunzhe, 2021. "Does tax deduction relax financing constraints? Evidence from China's value-added tax reform," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    21. Shuju Hu & Wei Song & Chenggu Li & Charlie H. Zhang, 2019. "The Evolution of Industrial Agglomerations and Specialization in the Yangtze River Delta from 1990–2018: An Analysis Based on Firm-Level Big Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-21, October.
    22. Chao Li & John Gibson, 2016. "Pareto's Law and City Size in China: Diverging Patterns in Land and People," Working Papers in Economics 16/09, University of Waikato.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    (all: China) national income accounting; national statistical system; China Standard Industrial Classification System; industrial statistics coverage; ownership classification system; national statistical data sources/limitations/explanations;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R1 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics
    • C82 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Macroeconomic Data; Data Access
    • P27 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Performance and Prospects

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