Brief Introduction

I. Main Content

Data in this chapter show the basic conditions of China’s labour economy, including the main data of labour statistics of the whole country and 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities under the direct leadership of the central government, such as the economically active population, number of the employed persons and staff and workers, number of registered unemployed persons in urban areas, total wages and average wages of the staff and workers and the changes in index, etc.

II. Coverage of Statistics

The Comprehensive Labour Statistics Reporting System covers corporate enterprises, institutions and administrative agencies (excluding township enterprises, private units or self-employed business). The Sample Survey on the Population Changes covers and estimates the population aged 16 and over of the whole country. The Rural Social and Economic Survey covers all rural areas below township level in China. The Statistical Reporting System on Training and Employment covers all agencies and units providing employment services. The Statistical Reports on Private Enterprises and Individual Industrial and Commercial Business cover the whole society. Data on economically active population, total employed population and employed population by urban and rural areas since 1990 are estimated on the basis of the 2000 population census, the annual sample surveys on the change of population and the labour force surveys, Breakdown of these data by province, by type of ownership and by industry do not add up to the totals. People leaving their work units with their working records and allowances kept in the work units are not covered in urban employed population, total number of workers and staff, total wage bills, average wage and other related statistics since 1998.

III. Source of Data

(1) Data on basic conditions of employment, total wage bill of workers and staff are collected and compiled through the Comprehensive Labour Statistics Reporting System, the Sample Survey on the Population Changes, and the Rural Social and Economic Survey by the Department of Population and Employment Statistics of the National Bureau of Statistics.

(2) Data on the employment services and the exchanges of labour force and on the urban registered unemployed persons are collected through the Statistical Reporting System on Training and Employment and provided by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

(3) Data on the number of persons employed in private enterprises and self-employed persons in industry and commerce are provided by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

IV. Survey Methodology

A complete reporting from lower levels to higher levels is used in the labour statistics reporting system. Surveys on population changes and labour force surveys are conducted with sampling scheme. Statistics on training, employment, private enterprises and self-employed individuals are collected and compiled on basis of administrative records.