National Data Office hosts Chinese statistics delegation for bilateral talks

The National Data Office said Monday it is hosting a delegation from China's National Bureau of Statistics for bilateral meetings in Daejeon and Busan, opening a round of talks on how both countries compile population and household statistics and how they are turning to big data and administrative records to do it.

Five Chinese officials are attending, led by Deputy Commissioner Ruan Jianhong. The two agencies have held bilateral meetings with reciprocal visits since 1993.

The agenda covers methodology and country experience in population statistics, time-use surveys, gender statistics and the household finance and living conditions survey and household trend survey. Much of the discussion is to focus on easing the burden on respondents while still meeting user demand, and on drawing household income and expenditure figures from big data and administrative records.

The Chinese delegation will also visit Busan City Hall to review how a local government produces and uses data and statistics.

"Sharing the experience both agencies have accumulated over a long period is meaningful for the development of statistics in both countries," Ruan said. "I hope this meeting will further strengthen practical cooperation on improving the way statistics are compiled and on new uses of data."

Jeong Dong-wook, director general of the National Data Hub Policy Bureau, said cooperation built over more than 30 years should widen beyond conventional statistical surveys into fields that draw on a range of data, including administrative records and big data.