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Officials faking statistics to be severely punished

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-22 14:33

BEIJING -- China will impose severe penalties on officials who "intervene in government statistical work and manipulate or fake data", said a draft law revision submitted to the top legislature on Monday.

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Amendments to the law on statistics was tabled for a first reading with the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress, the top legislature, which opened its six-day, bi-monthly session on Monday.

The revisions were mainly aimed at preventing "administrative intervention" of statistical work by banning any willful change of figures by officials and the submission of false statistics from statistical agencies and staff, the draft said.

The draft listed illegal acts concerning statistical work, increased fines, and imposed penalties such as revoking statistical licenses.

It said statistical departments above the county level should provide as much service to the public by using open statistical materials.