OTHER NEWS - Aug. 18, 1994

China Calls for Accurate Reporting: The Communist Party acknowledged that false reporting of economic statistics is widespread and, warning of dire consequences, called for an end to the practice. Western economists have long been aware of the problem, and Chinese officials have privately admitted that their figures often do not reflect actual conditions. In recent months, Chinese newspapers have begun reporting on the problem. But the front-page editorial in the People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party, was the first official acknowledgment of the practice. The central bank, the People’s Bank of China, issued a landmark report last month that noted that accurate, detailed statistics were essential for inspiring confidence in China’s economic policies.