***************************************************
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (July 20) the July 2006 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (HKMDS).
In this issue, three feature articles entitled "The 2004/05-based Consumer Price Indices", "Socio-economic Characteristics of Hong Kong Residents Making Personal Travel to the Mainland of China, 2005" and "The Chinese Medicine Sector in Hong Kong, 2005" are included.
"The 2004/05-based Consumer Price Indices"
The Consumer Price Indices (CPIs), which reflect the impact of consumer price changes on households, are compiled by combining data on price changes and expenditure patterns. The expenditure patterns are derived from the results of a Household Expenditure Survey (HES) conducted at five-yearly intervals.
A new round of HES was conducted from October 2004 to September 2005 by the Census and Statistics Department. Based on the results of the survey, the composition of the CPI basket, and the expenditure ranges and the weighting patterns of the CPI series have been updated.
After its first release in April 2006, the new 2004/05-based CPI series has replaced the old 1999/2000-based series for analysing the movements in consumer prices. This article presents the main features of the new CPI series. It also compares the expenditure weights and the movements of the new and old CPI series.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Consumer Price Index Section, C&SD (Tel.: 2805 6401).
"Socio-economic Characteristics of Hong Kong Residents Making Personal Travel to the Mainland of China, 2005"
Analyses of the social and economic characteristics of Hong Kong residents making personal travel to the mainland of China (the Mainland) were first introduced in a feature article in the May 2002 issue of the Digest. Updates of the analyses are provided annually.
In 2005, Hong Kong residents made a total of 40.1 million personal trips to the Mainland. Personal travel covers travel in package tour mode and non-package tour mode for purposes such as holiday-making, visits to friends and relatives, and attending recreational and cultural programmes.
Analysed by sex, proportion of personal trips made by males (58%) was higher. Analysed by age, the highest proportion of personal trips was made by residents in the age group 40-49 (27%).
Among the trips in respect of personal travel by Hong Kong residents to the Mainland, 22.3 million person-trips were made by employed persons. Of this, the highest proportion was made by residents worked in the wholesale, retail and import/export trades, restaurants and hotels sector (29%).
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the National Income Section (1)3, C&SD (Tel: 2582 4643).
"The Chinese Medicine Sector in Hong Kong, 2005"
In Hong Kong, Chinese medicine is popularly used to cure various kinds of diseases. The Chinese medicine sector comprises : (a) extraction from natural materials of herbal, animal or mineral origin for direct marketing, or for use in the manufacture of Chinese medicines; (b) manufacture of Chinese medicines; (c) distribution of Chinese medicines, like wholesale, retail and import and export trades; and (d) practising Chinese medicine, like Chinese medicine practitioners of general practice, acupuncture and bone-setting.
This feature article discusses the updated situation of the Chinese medicine sector in Hong Kong, including the manufacture of Chinese medicines, the distribution of Chinese medicines, the practice of Chinese medicine practitioners and the university programmes on Chinese medicine. Activity (a) above is considered not significant in the local context.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Distribution Services Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel.: 2802 1367).
Published in bilingual form, the HKMDS is a compact volume of official statistics containing 140 tables. It collects up-to-date statistical series on various aspects of the social and economic situation of Hong Kong. Topics include population and vital events; labour; external trade; industrial production; land, housing, building and construction; transport, communications and tourism; public accounts, money and finance; prices; commerce; social conditions; energy; and national income and Balance of Payments. For selected key statistical items, over 20 charts depicting the annual trend in the past decade and quarterly or monthly trend in the recent two years are also available.
Users can download this publication free of charge at the "Statistical Bookstore, Hong Kong" (www.statisticalbookstore.gov.hk) of the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD).
Print version of this publication is available for sale at HK$80 per issue. Purchase can be done in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address : 19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel. : 2582 3025) or through mail order by returning a completed order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD's website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/other_services/provision_of_stat/mail_ordering_of_publications/index.jsp). Print version of this publication is also available for sale online at the Statistical Bookstore and the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.isd.gov.hk/eng/bookorder.htm). Print versions if purchased online are offered a discount, at 85% of their original prices.
Enquiries about the contents of the HKMDS can be directed to the General Statistics Section (1)B of the C&SD (Tel.: 2582 4738).
Ends/Thursday, July 20, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:15
NNNN
