Mr. Ma Jiantang Participated the 40th Session of the Statistical Commission of UN

The 40th Session of the Statistical Commission was held at United Nations Headquarters, New York, from 24 to 27 February 2009, the Chinese Delegation headed by Mr. Ma Jiantang, Commissioner of NBS, participated the meeting. Mr. Ma stated his views related to the issues of Session, and extensively promoted both bilateral and multilateral cooperation on statistics.

(Chinese Delegation headed by Mr. Ma Jiantang participated the meeting)

In the Session, Mr. Ma Jiantang aired his important views covered 13 topics on climate change and official statistics, agricultural statistics, energy statistics, environmental and economic accounting, national accounts system, social statistics, health statistics, education statistics, employment statistics, gender statistics, ICP of regional statistical development for Asia-Pacific region, Millennium Development Goals Monitoring and so on, and expounded China's position, which has been attached great importance. During the Seminar on Climate Change and Official Statistics, Mr. Ma Jiantang pointed out that, "Framework Convention on Climate Change of UN" is the main mechanism on negotiations to resolve the climate change, how to design appropriate indicators and targets which are still under discussion, the Chinese side figured that should not be take action in the Session, whereas supposed to give the member states more time for research and consideration. On the discussion of ICP, Mr. Ma Jiantang pointed out that, should be further improve the quality of Round in 2011 according to the experiences and existing problems of Round in 2005; the representativeness, comparability, and accuracies of results of PPP calculations need to be further improved, therefore, international organizations should be careful when faced the major decisions; the report of ICP on the Participated Countries issued by World Bank should be changed to Participating Economy . NBS showed the publicity draws of various Censuses in the outcome exhibition of statistical development in Asia-Pacific regions at the meeting venue.

(Mr. Ma Jiantang addressed in the Meeting)

Mr. Ma Jiantang developed the bilateral and multilateral works extensively during the meeting. He exchanged views deeply on developing cooperation between NBS and Department of Economic and Social with Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General, Economic and Social Affairs of UN; and have conducted fruitful talks for the cooperation with countries or international organizations below which are Messrs. Wahlman, OMB, Office of the President of the United States, Munir A. Sheikh, Chief Statistician of Canada, Kim, Dae-ki, Commissioner of KNSO, Luigi Biggeri, President of Institute of National Statistics, NGUY N C HO , Director General of General Statistics Office Of Vietnam, Paul Cheung, Director, United Nations Statistics Division, UNSD, Joaqu n Almunia, Commissioner of Eurostat, and Enrico Giovannini, Director of Statistics and Chief Statistician of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). By the invitation from Ambassadors Zhang Yesui and Liu Zhenmin, Permanent Representative and Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, Mr. Ma Jiantang introduced China's economic and social development, and answered the relevant questions to the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the UN.

(Conversation between Messrs. Ma Jiantang and Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General, Economic and Social Affairs of UN during the meeting)

The United Nations Statistical Commission, established in 1947, is the apex entity of the global statistical system. The Statistical Commission oversees the work of the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), and is a Functional Commission of the UN Economic and Social Council. It brings together the Chief Statisticians from member states from around the world. It is the highest decision making body for international statistical activities especially the setting of statistical standards, the development of concepts and methods and their implementation at the national and international level. In July 1999 the Economic and Social Council decided that the Commission should meet annually for four days each session, starting in the year 2000.

Totally 24 delegations of member states, 116 countries and 42 international organizations participated the meeting. Messrs. Du Weiqun, Director-General, Department of International Cooperation, and Xian Zude, Director-General, Department of Statistical Design and management of NBS, and Ms. K L Chan, Assistant Commissioner, Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong SARS, as the members of Chinese Delegation attended the meeting.