NBS Continuously Engaged Ms. Carson as International Statistical Advisor
On January 31, 2005, NBS held a ceremony of engaging Ms. Carson, Project Manager of Revising SNA of UN Statistics Division, as International Statistical Advisor (three years term), and specific lecture for Ms. Carson. Mr. Li Deshui, Commissioner of NBS, made remarks and awarded the letter of appointment. Mr. Zhang Weimin, Deputy Commissioner of NBS, presided the ceremony and the meeting.
Mr. Li Deshui stressed in his remarks that NBS has continuously engaged Ms. Carson as International Statistical Advisor twice since 2000. In this year, her term of duty is at the expiration. During the past four years, Ms. Carson has perfectly carried out her duty as International Statistical Advisor of NBS with profound knowledge, scientific attitude, active spirit and acute thought. She has not only brought us fresh successful experiences and good methods on statistical works in the international community, but also delivered lots of important and valuable opinions and suggestions to our statistical construction, development and reform. More importantly, she has played active and important role in international statistical cooperation and exchange of NBS, by right of her famous reputation in international statistical society. In one word, Ms. Carson’s advisory work was outstanding and spotless. She widened our field of vision, developed our thought, and promoted our work. Mr. Li Deshui expressed sincerely thanks to Ms. Carson representing NBS.
After the ceremony, Ms. Carson took a lecture on “the revision of 1993 version of System of National Accounts of the United Nations (SNA 1993) ” Totally 58 employees from various departments of NBS participated the meeting.
After the speech, Ms. Carson answered the questions related to SNA raised by the participants.
Annex:
The revision of 1993 version of System of National Accounts of the United Nations (SNA 1993)
(Speech Syllabus)
Ms. Carol Carson
I. International standard on National Accounts
1.Interational statistical standards have common history and purposes. They came from the request of establishment of unified form in description of statistical data in a meeting of
2. National Accounts is the first statistical field that established international standard. The main reasons were its important role in statistical analysis and the complexity of national accounts. In releasing the data of National Income of 26 countries, it indicated that there existed big differences in the concept and computing methods of national income. Therefore, a committee was set up in 1939, and began to establish the standard.
3. Statistical Standards have been developed in companion with the following factors: the development of economic theory, the accumulation of experiences in compilation of national accounts, and the change of economy.
4. The main steps of constituting statistical standards on national accounts were: a international experts group was set up in 1945 and proposed the prelimimary “standard”; 1953 SNA clearly considered the requirements of the developing countries; 1960 and 1963 SNA had better linkages with international balance of payments; and 1968 SNA adopted more broad sense of economic accounts.
II. The Characteristics of 1993 SNA
1993 SNA was a milestone standard. The main reasons were: firstly, 1993 SNA comprehensively reflect the situation of economy, striving for the guidelines to all countries, and admitting the need of flexibilities and strengthening the role of national accounts in statistical system; secondly, 1993 SNA provided the framework of conception on national accounts. For instance, the widely accepted concept of production by international community, not only covered the concept of production in Material Production System (MPS), but also included all sectors providing goods and services. In addition, It regulated in the aspect of definition and classification, and raised several essential regulations on national accounts.
III. Prospect to the first revision of 1993 SNA
1. UN Statistical Committee asked for updating 1993 SNA, in order to accord the new economic environment, new developments in methodological research and user’s needs.
2. UN Statistics Division put forward two important requests: one is that this updating should not make fundamental or overall revision, and should not be the reasons of postponing the implementation of 1993 SNA; the second is this updating should prior consider the linkage to other related manuals, such as the Manual of Balance of International Payments and the Manual of Government Financial Statistics.
3. Organizational institutes and timetable. United Working Group on national accounts (EUROSTAT, IMF, OECD, UN, WB) is in charge of the coordination of updating work. The Updating Programme includes a Project Manager and an editor. The detailed arrangement: consultation on the all sorts of proposals from 2004 to 2005; to check the consistency and evaluation in 2006; to draft the documents in 2007; to complete the amending manuscript in 2008 and summit to discuss and get pass.
4. In the updating process, the widely participation and transparency is stressed. Expert Consultant Group, which was composed by 20 experts from all continents, will play important role. The Project website was established to provide information, and to want all sorts of suggestions and opinions. The regional or continental consultations will be held.
5. Questions to be considered: the Expert Consultant Group proposed 44 questions, mainly related to non-financial assets, financial sector accounts, government sector and international payments, etc..
6. In the revision process,