China will put all data survey teams under the direct management of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), according to a State Council decision.
 
Officials with the NBS said in Beijing Wednesday that the State Council has just made public a decision to amend the rules on the implementation of the Statistics Law, so as to meet the demand for reforming China's statistical work.

According to the NBS, the amended rules give a clear definition to the legal position and obligation of all data survey teams at different levels, so as to increase their independence in survey ing tasks. The survey teams will also have the authority of law enforcement concerning statistical work.

Data survey teams at different levels, from the NBS headquarters to counties, will be under the direct management of the NBS, sharing the same importance with the local statistics bureaus, said the NBS.

In addition, three survey teams under direct control of the NBS, on rural economy, urban economy and enterprises economy, respectively, will also be strengthened, with their positions lifted as well.

The amended rules on the implementation of the Statistics Law will become effective February 1, according to the State Council.

The NBS launched the campaign to strengthen statistics survey teams and improve the transparency of data releasing in the future. The bureau, employing about 95,000 people, releases different categories of data on a monthly basis.

(Xinhua News Agency January 5, 2006)