The world's first official method to guide the statistical work of the e-commerce industry will soon be put in use, Chinese Vice-Minister of Commerce Liao Xiaoqi announced on Monday.

"This unprecedented method will provide uniform standards for the data collection and allow decision makers in governments, academia and the general public to have a better understanding of China's robust e-commerce industry," said Liao at the press conference for the issue of the 2004-2005 China E-Commerce Report.

Gao Xinmin, executive deputy director-general of the China Information Association, said the lack of uniform statistical methods had caused a data deficiency, which in turn stemmed scholars and government from making concrete conclusions on the country's e-commerce industry.

While the 2004-2005 report was being drafted, Gao said that a comprehensive survey was launched at the request of the Ministry of Commerce to collect first-hand statistics.

More than 2,000 companies in textile, coal mining, petroleum, petrochemical, construction, medicine and electronic sectors from 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have been covered, which made this report very objective, he acknowledged.

In comparison with the first report issued by the Ministry of Commerce in 2003, experts said the new report had provided a wide-ranging view of the growth of China's e-commerce industry.

The report also touches upon the future trends of China's e-commerce industry and includes special reports on the e-commerce in foreign trade, logistics, small and medium-sized companies and on-line retailing.

Liao claimed that the report represented the highest achievements of Chinese academia.

Gregory T. Shea, President of the United States Information Technology Office in Beijing, hailed the report as "very comprehensive and substantial".

(China Daily April 18, 2005)