China orders statistics bureau to fight fake data with modern technology

China's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has received instructions to combat fabricated data using advanced technology. This directive, endorsed by the Chinese government, outlines the bureau's new responsibilities, internal structure, and staffing allocations. The revised framework came into effect on October 28, as per a notice from the State Commission Office for Public Sector Reform.

The NBS plans to employ a multi-faceted strategy to ensure the integrity and scientific accuracy of its statistical data. This includes enhancing quality control during data collection and enforcing regional agencies' responsibilities to verify figures. The bureau specifically pledges to leverage modern technologies to bolster its capacity for detecting statistical manipulation.

Additionally, it will strengthen statistical monitoring and law enforcement inspections to cultivate a robust, authoritative, and dependable supervisory system.

Experts have been wary of the precision and credibility of China's data, along with the lack of transparency, while the Chinese government relies on accurate figures to inform its policy decisions. In December 2023, the NBS cautioned local authorities against inventing statistics and tampering with data collection to artificially boost economic outcomes.

At the time, the bureau reported instances of data falsification in the southwestern province of Guizhou and intentional interference with data gathering in the northwestern province of Shaanxi.

In mid-2022, Zhang Jinghua, a former deputy party chief of Jiangsu province, was removed from the Communist Party due to allegations of fabricating economic data for personal advancement and interfering in market activities. The senior official was found guilty of creating false economic figures and violating relevant regulations.

Looking forward, the NBS intends to overhaul its data collection methods through a "digital and intelligent transformation", integrating modern technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence into its operations to improve efficiency and scientific rigor.

The NBS's organizational structure has also undergone changes, with several departments renamed and their functions realigned. For example, the Department of Energy Statistics has been renamed the Department of Ecology, Environment, and Energy Statistics to oversee carbon emission surveys alongside conventional energy metrics. Furthermore, a new Department of Population and Livelihood Statistics has been established to broaden its scope beyond employment, covering population dynamics, the labor force, wages, household income, and migrant workers.

This is not the first time Beijing has restructured the NBS to address data fabrication; in 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping authorized reforms aimed at improving the authenticity of statistical data. Subsequently, the NBS created a specialized statistical law enforcement and supervision bureau.