1 Towards an Integrated Economic Statistics Program : The Experience of Hong Kong, China International Workshop on Economic Census 26 – 29 July 2005 Beijing, China Frederick W.H. Ho Commissioner for Census & Statistics Hong Kong, China

2 1.Purposes/uses of an Integrated Economic Statistics Program (IESP) 2.Components of an IESP 3.Features of an IESP 4.Achieving an IESP Contents

3 (a)Economic analysis  Enabling macro-economic and micro-economic analysis  Performance of the overall economy, the external sector, the domestic sector, the financial sector, the labour sector and prices Purposes/Uses of an Integrated Economic Statistics Program

4 (b)Macro-level policy formulation and decision  Identifying and consolidating key industries  Developing strategic arrangements with partner economies  Assisting new industries Purposes/Uses of an Integrated Economic Statistics Program

5 (c)Determining sectoral development  Developing strategies for developments in specific economic sectors  Sectoral productivity studies Purposes/Uses of an Integrated Economic Statistics Program

6 (d)Business studies  Profitable lines of business  Appropriate mix of products  Optimun level of operation  Benechmaking  Firm level productivity studies  Marketing strategies  Investment decisions Purposes/Uses of an Integrated Economic Statistics Program

7 (e)For the Statistical Authority: an aid to data quality control  Achieving consistency of statistics from different statistical systems/programs  Identifying data problems where inconsistencies exist (or appear to exist) Purposes/Uses of an Integrated Economic Statistics Program

8 (f)For the Statistical Authority: facilitating coherence of statistical development  Users’ needs better met overall  More efficient use of statistical resources Purposes/Uses of an Integrated Economic Statistics Program

9 (a)Trade Statistics System  Based on trade declarations and cargo manifests submitted to Customs Authority  Value, volume, prices  Origin and destination of goods Components of an IESP

10 (b)National accounts/BoP/Monetary statistics system  Banking and monetary statistics derived from administrative records  GDP/GNP/BoP statistical systems based on data from different economic surveys/statistical systems and other sources Components of an IESP

11 (c)Economic census/survey program  Annual economic censuses/surveys  Sub-annual economic surveys  Co-ordinated approach in the development of annual and sub- annual economic surveys Components of an IESP

12 (d)Prices  Consumer price indices from monthly Price Survey  Producer price indices from Quarterly Survey of Industrial Production and Quarterly Survey of Services Industries  Import/export unit value indices and terms of trade from Trade Statistics System  GDP deflator from national accounts statistical system Components of an IESP

13 (e)Closely associated programs  Labour Statistics Program  Population and Demographic Statistics Program Components of an IESP

14 (a)Basic design  Component systems operated in accordance with recommendations of International Organizations (b)Definitions  Harmonization of definitions where standardization cannot be achieved Features of an IESP

15 (c)Classifications  Common classification used as far as possible (e.g. Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification)  Statistics compiled based on alternative classifications to meet specific user needs (e.g. the electronics industry) Features of an IESP

16 (d)Data Sources  Administrative records  Economic censuses/surveys (e)Geographical demarcations  Enabling the building block approach where different demarcations are desired by different user groups Features of an IESP

17 (f)Interlocking nature of component systems  Each system produces output data which may be used by both final data users and some other systems as input data Features of an IESP

18 (a)Well co-ordinated statistical institutions (b)Good communication with potential users and raw data suppliers Achieving an IESP

19 (c)Close communication with International Orgainzations  Understanding and adopting current standards  Contributing to the establishment and evolution of standards Achieving an IESP

20 (d)Dual approach  Bottom-up approach : reconciling existing systems  Top-down approach : conceiving an ideal overall program and bringing down to earth a realistic blue-print which features a balanced program Achieving an IESP

21 (e)Priorities consideration  Constraints in financial resources and technical resources  Survey respondents’ burden  Don’t be over-ambitious : should consider the capacity of component systems carefully Achieving an IESP

22 Thank You