BRIEF INTRODUCTION

I. The statistics of the investment in fixed assets cover the investment in capital construction, the investment in innovation, the investment in real estate development, the investment in other state-owned fixed assets, the investment in fixed assets by urban collective units, the investment in fixed assets by rural collective units, the housing investment by urban individuals and the investment in fixed assets by rural individuals. Starting from 1999, investment statistics also include investment in fixed assets by urban private units and individuals.

II. The data sources for the statistics of investment in fixed assets are as follows: The data on the trans-regional projects are provided by the various departments under the State Council. The data on the investment in fixed assets in collective units and by individuals in rural areas are prepared and provided by the Rural Socio-economic Survey Organization, NBS on the basis of the data collected by the survey on the rural social and economic development. The other statistical data on the investment in fixed assets are prepared and provided by the Department of Statistics of Investment in Fixed Assets, NBS.

III. Method of data collection: All the data on the investment in fixed assets are collected by the statistical reporting scheme with the coverage of complete enumeration, with the only exception that the data on the investment in fixed assets in collective units and by individuals in rural areas are collected by sample surveys.

IV. Since 1997, the cut-off point of projects to be covered in the investment statistics are modified from an investment of 50,000 yuan to 500,000 yuan in the statistics of investment in capital construction, investment in innovation and other investments, while the cut-off point of projects in the statistics of investment in real estate development, rural collective investment and individual investment remain unchanged. For the convenience of comparison, relevant data of 1996 are adjusted accordingly, and figures in brackets are compiled on the basis of the old coverage.