New regulation aims to ensure reliability of statistical data

BEIJING -- A new regulation on the implementation of the revised Law of Statistics was issued to improve the authenticity and reliability of official data, according to an official document.

A statement jointly issued by the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council and the National Bureau of Statistics explained that a previous bylaw on statistics law implementation, which was issued in 1987 in accordance with a 1983 law, had some inconsistencies with the latest revised Law of Statistics, which took effect in 2010.

The new regulation, issued last month and made public Monday, will become effective in August.

The statement noted that the new regulation is intended to improve authenticity and reliability of official data so as to better serve the country's decision making, macro control and economic and social development.

According to the statement, the new regulation stipulated measures to improve the efficiency and quality of statistical work and to reduce the burden for the objects in statistical surveys.

The regulation also provided specifications on how to organize and carry out surveys as well as rules to ensure transparency of relevant data.

It stipulated severe penalties for violations in statistical work, such as failure in carrying out effective supervision, intervening in statistical work and manipulating or fabricating data.