Mr. Li Qiang Attended the Second Session of United Nations ESCAP Committee on Statistics

The Second Session of United Nations ESCAP Committee on Statistics was held on December 15-17, 2010, in Bangkok, Thailand. 32 member countries, 21 international organizations and South Africa Delegation, the only one Non-ESCAP, participated the session. Mr. Ma Jiantang, Commissioner of NBS of China, was re-elected as the Vice-Chairperson of the ESCAP Committee on Statistics at the session.  

The Chinese delegation headed by Mr. Li Qiang, Commissioner of NBS, attended the session. The issues discussed at the session included: review of the achievements by ESCAP and UNSC at recent statistical meetings, and discussion on the key topics as well as statistical issues that might have a significant impact on statistical data in Asia and Pacific regions.

At the Second Session of ESCAP Committee on Statistics, Mr. Li Qiang gave his views about the concerning issues on behalf of Chinese stand, which received high reorganization at the session. When discussing on the strategic objects referred by ESCAP Committee, he pointed out that China would support ESCAP Committee on concerning statistical development strategies, and expected that all Asia-Pacific countries strengthen statistical cooperation so as to improve statistical level. He stressed that Asia-Pacific statistical development strategies should focus on the practical promotion of statistical capacity, as well as make different standards on statistical capacity building according to statistical development level in each country. In addition, he suggested ESCAP to build concerning working teams to establish concrete objects and strategic statistical tasks, give stress on statistical standards building to enhance statistical performance. He expressed that NBS had continuously devoted on statistical capacity building and would make effort on improving Chinese official statistical capacity in answer to ESCAP.     

When discussing on the core economic statistical systems in Asia-Pacific regions, Li advocated the efforts that made by ESCAP and indicated that it was necessary to build minimum core economic statistical systems in light of economic development in Asia-Pacific regions and with reference to GDDS and SDDS. He pointed out that, for the imbalance on statistical development in Asia-Pacific countries, certain flexibility and broad adaptability are needed in setting specific indicators, survey scope and survey frequency of the core economic statistical systems. 

When discussing on statistical training works in Asia-Pacific regions, Mr. Xia Rongpo, Deputy-General of Statistical Education Center of NBS, gave major address, he introduced the main tasks and development directions of Chinese International Training Center (CITC). He expressed that CITC would strengthen international cooperation and communication relying on the international statistical projects of the United Nations, strengthen statistical capacity building by trainings, cultivate statistical talents in adequate with modern statistics, build scientific and practical international training systems, in order to develop CITC into a wide power of influence in the international training institutions.

During the session, Li Qiang also participated some communication activities, such as, paying an official visit with Mr. Paul Cheung, Director of UNSD, and Mr. Haishan Fu, Director of APSD.

Messrs. Du Weiqun, Director-General, Department of International Cooperation of NBS, Ji Fengxiang, Director-General, Department of Statistical Design and Management, Lei Pingjing, Deputy Director of Department of Services Statistics, and Xia Rongpo, Deputy-General of Statistical Education Center together participated the session.