China’s economic census to take place in 2023 as coronavirus battle drags on

China will conduct a sweeping assessment of its economy next year in a bid to provide statistics to guide macroeconomic governance and help devise medium- and long-term plans.

The fifth national economic census will kick off next year, the State Council confirmed on Thursday, amid a critical time as China’s three-year battle with the coronavirus has taken a toll on all aspects of the national economy.

The economic census, which was last conducted in 2018, will compile detailed data on China’s secondary and tertiary industries.

The survey will cover all businesses, organisations and individuals in the industrial and service sectors, ranging from mining, manufacturing, wholesale and retail, finance and real estate, as well as culture, sport and entertainment.

The number of employees, the size of their assets, liabilities, business structure, operating income and production capabilities will be surveyed as part of the census.