A spokesman for China's National Bureau of Statistics has acknowledged that the severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, will have a negative impact on China's economy, but the degree of the impact depends on the time taken to control the disease.
Yao Jingyuan told a press conference in Beijing that industries most vulnerable to the impact include tourism, catering, accommodation and transportation, while wholesale, retail and trade will be moderately affected.
He says the disease will not have a serious effect on investment.
(cri.com April 18, 2003)
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