Kang Yi Meets with IMF Deputy Managing Director Li Bo and Signs Memorandum of Understanding
On the morning of June 24th, Kang Yi, Commissioner of the National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS of China), met with a delegation led by Li Bo, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The two sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the NBS of China and the IMF and exchanged views on future cooperation.
Commissioner Kang welcomed Deputy Managing Director Li and his delegation. He noted that cooperation between the two sides started early and has been built on a solid foundation. Over the years, the NBS of China and the IMF have achieved fruitful results through cooperation in areas including national accounts, the G20 Data Gaps Initiative, and the refinement of statistical policies and methodologies. Commissioner Kang emphasized that China is currently advancing Chinese modernization on all fronts through high-quality development. The NBS of China is also making every effort to advance statistical modernization, actively engaging in forward-looking exploration and practice in key areas, including the unified GDP accounting system, statistical monitoring of the digital economy, applications of big data, and the innovative application of artificial intelligence to statistical work. China is committed to taking the signing of the new Memorandum of Understanding as an opportunity to further deepen practical cooperation with the IMF in areas such as promoting the implementation of the System of National Accounts 2025, expanding collaboration on big data and data science, and strengthening statistical capacity building.
Deputy Managing Director Li spoke highly of China’s achievements in statistical practice. He noted that, at present, the international community is closely following China’s economic and social development, and that statistics constitute an important channel through which the world understands China. As the global economic landscape becomes increasingly complex and volatile, statistical work in all countries is facing new risks and challenges. The IMF stands ready to further deepen exchanges and mutual learning with China, and to conduct practical cooperation in areas such as macroeconomic well-being, the digital economy and sustainability, in order to work together to address common challenges facing global statistical systems.
During their visit to China, the IMF delegation also visited the United Nations Global Hub on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics in Hangzhou, where they met and held discussions with Lei Xiaowu, Deputy Commissioner of the NBS of China. Lu Shan, Chief Methodologist of the NBS of China, as well as officials from the Administrative Office, the Department of Comprehensive Statistics, the Department of National Accounts, and the Department of Service Statistics attended the Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony.