1. Session 7 - country presentation by Chinadfddddddddddd Population Census Topics
National Bureau of Statistics, China
United Nations Regional Workshop on the 2020 World Programme on Population and
Housing Censuses: International Standards and Contemporary Technologies
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, June, 2018

2. Outlines Introduction Topic selection plans for 2020 Population Census
Main factors determining the selection of topics
Population Census Topics in 2020(preliminary)
Items in Census Questionnaire in 2020(preliminary)

3. Introduction
The Population Census of China is carried out in accordance with the Regulations on National Population Census
Population census shall be conducted every ten years, in the year ending with zero, while the reference time of the census shall be the zero hour of the first day of November of the Census Year. The latest census was carried out in 2010, and China’s seventh population census will be conducted in 2020

4. Cont’d… Sequence Year Questionnaire Topics Household Individual First
1953
General Form 1 5
Second
1964 8
Third
1982 6 13
Fourth
1990 15
Fifth
2000
Short Form 10 9
Long Form 23 26
Sixth
2010 12 17 28
Foreigners Form
11　 .
Rapid economic and social development, more information are required(government policy making and research activities)
Need to reduce respondents’ burden, less survey questions is more feasible
Art of balance, amount of questionnaire items remains stable in recent two censuses, but increased in long run

5. Topic selection plans for 2020 Population Census
Consultation with specialists in different subjects
Consultations with key government departments and agencies, such as Ministry of civil affairs, National Health Commission, Ministry of Public Security， Ministry of education, etc.
Advice from professional advisory committees in major subject matter areas， professors form colleges and universities
Draft modification with the advises
Topic selection varies among long form and short form
The plan is to make the short form really short, focusing only on basic demographic characteristics of population, while information on most economic and social characteristics will be obtained through the long form a sample of population, to improve response rate and data quality. Long form provides more detailed topics.

6. Main factors determining the selection of topics 1
National priority
The needs of the broad range of data users in the country at both the national and local area level
Priority on internal migration than international migration
International comparability
Achievement of the maximum degree of international comparability, both within regions and on a worldwide basis
Similar topic selection with previous population censuses
Considering the new international trends

7. Main factors determining the selection of topics 2
Suitability
Sensitivity of topics and respondent's burden, that is, the willingness and ability of the public to give accurate information on the topics. Technical competence of the enumerators in regard to obtaining information on the topic
Alternative sources
Availability of relevant information held in alternative data sources
Disability information, China Disabled Persons’ Federation and Ministry of Civil Affairs have part of data of administrative records about the disabled population

8. Population Census Topics in 2020(preliminary)
Plan
Little changes, similar topics as 2010 Population Census
ID card no. will be added(breakthrough)
Separate foreign questionnaire
These included the following as were divided into 7 section:
Household and family characteristics(including two house information, house area and no. of rooms)
Demographic and social characteristics(household register system related item(Hukou system) is removed because of the reform of household registration system 2014)
Geographic and internal migration
Fertility and mortality
Education for persons aged 6 years and above
Economic activity for persons aged 15 years and above
Heath status for persons aged 60 years and above

9. Items in Census Questionnaire in 2020(preliminary)
The questionnaires comprise two forms - short form(90% of the households) and long form(10% of the households).
Short form：6 household items and 12 individual items （10 minutes/hh)
Household questions: household type(family or collective(student dorm or construction dorm)), no. of persons living in the house in reference time, births and deaths by sex during previous year, how large is the construction and how many rooms of the house
Individual questions: demographic and social characters(6 items, ID no. new to add), geographic and internal migration characters(4 items), literacy and education characters(2 items, available for 6+ persons)
Name, ID, gender, age, nationality, address, place of household registration, educational attainment, etc.

10. Cont’d
Long form: 17 household items and 29 individual items (25-30 minutes/hh)
Household questions: household type, no. of persons living in the house in reference time, births and deaths by sex during previous year, how large is the construction and how many rooms of the house
Individual questions: demographic and social characters, geographic and internal migration characters( identical to short form, 13 items, ID no. new to add, everyone), usual residency 5 years ago(1 item, 5+ persons), literacy and education characters(3 items), employment and marriage status(9 items, 15+ persons), fertility status(3 items, specific childbearing age women), health status(1 item, 60+ persons, aging society, enhancing in 2020)
Employment, industry, occupation, migration, social security, marriage, fertility, mortality, Health Status for Respondents Aged 60, housing and facilities, and above etc.