A more reasonable promotion system for government officials will help stop the fabrication of gross domestic product (GDP) indicators prevalent in local governments, says a signed article in Yanzhao Metropolis News. An excerpt follows:

In the country's 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010) for economic development, the goal of average yearly economic growth was set at 7.5 percent. However, in the economic programme drafted by the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities nationwide, the average GDP growth was set at 10.1 percent and was as high as 13 percent in some regions.

There are more than one expected GDP indicators nationwide, a macro-economics researcher pointed out. All provinces, cities, counties and subordinate administrative organs have their own expanded GDP figures, he said.

Such blind pursuit of major GDP indictors is absolutely incompatible with the basic economic development principle and will bring negative effects to the country.

One of its direct results is the prevalence of GDP fabrication among grassroots governments and less efficient investment.

According to a grass-roots official in a township in Zhumadian, a city in Central China's Henan Province, his colleagues have almost been numb to GDP indicators and have never carefully compiled GDP statistics. All economic indicators reported to higher governments are arbitrary, he told China Economic Weekly.

This is an extremely abnormal social phenomenon that deserves attention from departments concerned.

The crux for this is the long existence of the officials' promotion system, in which local officials' performances are gauged mainly by local GDP development. The fact that promotion stems from figures has directly resulted in concocted statistical data and the blind pursuit of investment expansion, while no heed is paid to the real economic effects.

To stop such kinds of malpractice, a more scientific promotion system should be created to evaluate performances of officials and then decide whether they will be promoted or demoted on the basis of the unbiased evaluation.

(China Daily May 17, 2006)