(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-12-07 07:02

The cancellation of the Top 100 Counties with the best social economic development by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has aroused much public debate. The following are excerpts from media comments:

Beijing Youth Daily: The selection indexes no longer fit the times and need to be changed.

The annual ranking of the top 100 counties published by the NBS is the most authoritative comprehensive statistical ranking. Counties and districts are all proud to be selected. The listed counties in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shandong and Guangdong accounted for nearly 80 percent of the total. Of course these four provinces are strong in economic growth and overall social development. The list of the top 100 counties well reflects the economic development situation.

Now that the selection has been canceled, calls for reflection and adjustment of the social economic development assessment system.

In fact the NBS started the selection of the top 100 counties with the strongest economic strength in 1991 but ended it in 1994. When the selection was re-launched in 2000, the title was changed into "National County-level Social Economic Development Index". The index includes comprehensive statistics in three areas: development level, vitality and potential. It was progress compared with the original standard that focused on economic growth only.

But the results were challenged this summer when the water crisis emerged in Taihu Lake. The counties around the lake are all among the top 100 but the region is seriously polluted. The link between economic growth and pollution put the assessment system into question.

Though the NBS has not openly explained why it has canceled the selection, economic growth and pollution must be one of the reasons. Experts have pointed out that though there are 33 assessment indexes, GDP still has the biggest weight and produces the most direct influence on the result. It has become an unavoidable topic and some want it removed and assessment based on human-oriented indexes.

Public expectations and appeals, including the low unemployment rate, narrowing the rich-poor gap, good social security, stable housing prices and environmental protection, should be the important references when adjusting the assessment standards.

Oriental Morning Post: We should not dismiss the assessment and selection of the Top 100 Counties in haste. There is no list this year. But this is a pause not an end to the selection.

First, the selection of the Top 100 Counties has historical and practical values. County-level economies are the major force of the Chinese economy. The listing of the Top 100 Counties is a pointer to our growth.

Second, the development of the Top 100 Counties has supported China's rapid growth in the past 29 years. Though there was over-consumption of resources and certain damage to the environment, the selection results reflect the different growth modes created by the people and their hard labor.

Now we are stressing quality development along with fast development. But economic growth will still be a major theme in the near future for China. It can be predicted that, after a scientific adjustment to the index system, the selection of the Top 100 Counties will go on.