Mr. Ma Jiantang Attended the Fifth Meeting of Heads of National Statistical Offices of BRICS Countries

On November 4, the Fifth Meeting of Heads of the National Statistical Institutions of BRICS was held in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa. Mr. Ma Jiantang, Commissioner of National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS), led a delegation to attend the meeting.

The meeting summed up the editing work of BRICS Joint Statistical Publication 2013, expressed satisfaction with the editing work of the national statistical institutions of BRICS, especially of the South Africa. Representative from Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE), which is the rotating chief editor of BRICS Joint Statistical Publication 2014, described the framework of 2014 edition, especially advised to edit online BRICS Joint Statistical Publication. During the meeting, the BRICS also exchanged experience focusing on topics such as small area estimation and poverty mapping.

During the meeting, Mr. Ma Jiantang spoke highly of the cooperation of national statistical institutions of BRICS. Mr. Ma pointed out that the first round of cooperation of the five countries has successfully completed, cooperative mechanism had been established, a lot of achievements and experience had been gained, which should be summarized. Mr. Ma proposed that during the second round of cooperation, the national statistical institutions of BRICS should first concentrate on further editing BRICS Joint Statistical Publication, and should make full use of the existing statistical cooperation mechanism of these five countries meanwhile, hold in-depth discussions on important issues concerned by all these countries. Mr. Ma suggested that the NBS draft a joint document, to summarize the results and experience of the first round, and give a cooperation direction of the second round. The document should be delivered to the next Meeting of the Heads of the National Statistical Institutions of BRICS to be considered, after being exchanged with each side. The suggestion of Mr. Ma was welcomed by the meeting, and the NBS was commissioned to draft the joint document.

Invited by Chinese Embassy in South Africa, Mr. Ma Jiantang gave a report on economic situation to embassy staff.

Ms. Wang Pingping, Director-General of Department of Household Surveys introduced the information of China carrying out small area estimation and poverty mapping during the meeting.

Messrs. Du Weiqun, Director-General of Department of International Cooperation, and Zhao Yuncheng, Director-General of International Statistical Information Center, participated the meeting.