I. Main Content
Data on the price indices in this chapter show the changing trend and the change rates in production, consumption and
investment, including mainly consumer price indices of residents, retail price indices, price indices of agricultural means of
production, purchasing price indices of farm products, producers’ price indices of industrial products, purchasing price indices
of raw materials, fuels and power, price indices of investment in fixed assets, and real estate price indices.
II. Source of Data
Statistical surveys for price indices are organized by the Urban Socio-economic Survey Organization, NBS. The urban socio-
economic survey organizations of the provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and of the selected cities and
counties collect data from the grassroots units in accordance with the scheme of price survey stipulated by the NBS, tabulate
them and report them to the higher agencies.
III. Consumer Price Indices of Residents and Retail Price Indices
Data for calculation of the consumer price indices of residents and the retail price indices in China are collected with the
stratified sampling method. Areas distributed in different economic regions are selected as the sample areas and the
representative commodities are selected as the sample commodities. Regular surveys are conducted to collect the data on
the market prices. The data on the population are estimated on the basis of the sample. At present, 226 cities and counties
have been selected for this purpose. Following are major steps in the process of calculation of the price indices:
(1) The selection of the areas and places for survey: Based on such principles as regional economic features and reasonable
geographic distribution, representative sample areas for the national survey are selected which include large, medium and
small cities and counties. When the sample areas are selected, large-scale shops and markets (including fairs) with great
varieties of commodities are selected as the survey places.
(2) The selection of the representative commodities and their specifications or varieties: The representative commodities are
the commodities consumed in large quantity and representative in price changes. The representative specifications or
varieties are determined according to the data on the retail sales of commodities and the account data of the residents of
40,000 urban households and 67,000 rural households, following the related instructions for selection. In principle, only those
specifications or varieties of the commodities can be selected: (a) They are closely related to the social production and
people's livelihood; (b) They are sold in large quantities (or big values); (c) The market supply is stable; (d) The changes of
their prices are representative in trend; (e) There is great difference among the specifications or varieties selected.
At present, data are collected on about 600-700 specifications each month under 251 basic headings in 8 categories in the
consumer price surveys. For the retail price surveys, data are collected on more than 500 specifications each month under 225
basic headings in 16 categories
(3) Data collection: Enumerators are sent to the survey places to take the records of the prices. Nearly 10 thousand assistant
enumerators are invited to assist the survey work.
(4) The determination of the weights: The weights for calculation of the retail price indices are determined according to the
total retail sales of commodities. The weights for calculation of the consumer price indices are determined according to the
composition of the consumption expenditures of more than 100,000 urban and rural households.
IV. Producers’ Prices of Industrial Products
Producers’ prices of industrial products refer to the first sale price of industrial products when they leave factories. The survey
ways include the key units survey and typical units survey. The key units refer to the industrial enterprises with annual sale
revenue above 5 million yuan. The typical units refer to the industrial enterprises with annual sale revenue below 5 million
yuan.
(1) Principle in selecting the representative enterprises:
(a) Enterprises to be covered in the survey are selected by industrial sectors. In principle, every branch should have
enterprises selected; (b) All (or a majority of) large-sized enterprises should be selected; (c) Enterprises with normal and
stable production are to be selected; (d) Different types of ownership should be considered in selecting enterprises.
(2) The principle to select the representative products:
(a) The products are selected by industrial sectors; (b) The selected products should have great impact on the national
economy and the people's livelihood; (c) The production of the products selected are stable; (d) The foreground of products
is representative in trend; (e) The products are typical and with local color.
The present List of Industrial Products for the survey includes 2,700 products (including 5,700 specifications or varieties). The
industrial sales value of the industries represented by these products accounts for more than 90 percent of total industrial
sales value.
(3) Data collection: Reports by enterprises are adopted. About 45,000 industrial enterprises report price data every month.
(4) The determination of the weights: The weights for calculation of the producers' price indices of industrial products are
determined according to the total sales value of industrial products. Data from the industrial census are used for the
calculation. If industrial census data are not available for the reference year, industrial statistical data and statistical data
from other agencies will be used to estimate the weights. The weights are replaced every five years.
V. Price Indices for Investment in Fixed Assets
Data on prices of investment in fixed assets are collected by the survey on key units and typical units. The prices of the
survey of investment in fixed assets are the actual purchasing prices or balancing prices of entity of investment in fixed
assets. The survey content includes the prices of main construction materials that composing the architecture engineering
entity in the year, such as steel, timber, cement, local construction materials (such as brick, tile, calcareousness, sand, stone,
etc.), chemical materials (such as oil paint, etc.), the price of labor force as input (wages), prices for renting of building
machinery and equipment, the purchasing price of equipment, tools and instruments and the prices of others investments.
The following principle to select the sample of price survey of investment in fixed assets should be followed.
(1) The principle to select the prices survey point of construction and installation: (a) Sample units should be a certain
coverage; (b) The economic activity of investment is great representative; (c) Different economic types of ownership should
be considered; (d) The key projects need to be selected; (e) Give attention to both various branches and types of project.
(2) The principle to select the prices survey point of others investments: The principle to select the prices survey point of
others fees is general the same as that of construction and installation, especially to select the projects with great investment
value. Since it is not easy to obtain the other fees, it should do the key survey on the construction owner units and building
units assisted with typical survey (gotten from the administration department), in the actual operation.
(3) Price survey way: Enterprises reporting system is used together with the enumerators visiting method.
(4) The determination of the weights: The weights for calculation of the price indices of investment in fixed assets are
determined according to the average proportion of construction and installation, purchase of equipment, tools and
instruments and others investment in the 3 previous years.
VI. Price Indices for Real Estate
The real estate in broad sense refers to the property in terms of buildings and land. Therefore, the price survey on real
estate covers the following items:
1) Prices for selling houses and buildings. In terms of the types of houses sold at the market, prices for selling houses
include the prices for commercial houses, for houses built or purchased by various units and for privately owned houses.
2) Prices for renting houses and buildings. Included in this category are prices for renting residential housing, office buildings,
commercial buildings and warehouses.
3) Prices for land transaction. Included in this category are prices for the transaction of land used for residential housing, for
industrial purposes, for commercial or recreational purposes and for other uses.
Survey on real estate prices employed a combination of survey of key units and survey of typical cases. Data are collected
through reporting forms supplemented by interviews.
The survey on real estate prices at present is conducted in 35 large and medium cities, with a sample of 8,000 units.
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