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The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (August 20) the August 2007 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (HKMDS).
In this issue, four feature articles entitled ¡§Salient Features of Hong Kong¡¦s Balance of Payments Account for 1998 to 2006¡¨, ¡§Development of Trade in Services of Hong Kong¡¨, ¡§Foreign Affiliates Trade in Services Statistics for Hong Kong¡¨ and ¡§Hong Kong Population Projections 2007¡V2036¡¨ are included.
"Salient Features of Hong Kong¡¦s Balance of Payments Account for 1998 to 2006"
Balance of Payments (BoP) statistics are important for monetary and financial monitoring and policy deliberations in different areas in both local and international contexts. Such data also provide an objective basis for gauging the economic situation and in assessing the financial soundness of an economy. BoP data are not only crucial elements for many business and investment decisions, but also facilitate macroeconomic analysis on different aspects of an economy.
This feature article briefly discusses the concepts relating to the interpretation of the BoP account and presents the salient features of Hong Kong¡¦s BoP accounts in the past nine years.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Balance of Payments Section (1)1, C&SD (Tel: 2116 8660).
¡§Development of Trade in Services of Hong Kong¡¨
With the structural change in the Hong Kong economy, the importance of service industries has increased gradually in recent years. Being an externally oriented economy, trade in services (TIS) in Hong Kong has been gaining significance in the past decade. In response to the demand for statistics on TIS, the C&SD has started releasing detailed TIS statistics by type of services and country/territory breakdown on an annual basis since July 2002.
While this services classification of Hong Kong¡¦s TIS statistics is developed by incorporating local adaptations to the Extended Balance of Payments Services (EBOPS) classification, it suits better for analysing the performance of TIS in Hong Kong. On the other hand, TIS statistics classified by the EBOPS classification would facilitate international comparison on TIS statistics. This feature article gives a brief account on the EBOPS classification, and analyses Hong Kong¡¦s TIS statistics by the EBOPS classification for 2005.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call Trade in Services Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel: 2802 1350).
¡§Foreign Affiliates Trade in Services Statistics for Hong Kong¡¨
With increasing globalisation of the world economy, it becomes popular for firms of an economy to deliver services to customers in another economy through setting up affiliated companies abroad.
In view of the growing importance of services supplied via this mode, the C&SD has launched studies on developing the statistical framework for compiling the relevant statistics. Such statistics are known as foreign affiliates trade in services (FATS) statistics. This feature article introduces the statistical framework for compiling inward FATS statistics, and presents selected inward FATS statistics for Hong Kong in 2005. It also gives a brief account on the development of Hong Kong¡¦s outward FATS statistics.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call Trade in Services Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel: 2802 1350).
¡§Hong Kong Population Projections 2007¡V2036¡¨
With the availability of the results of the 2006 Population By-census, the C&SD has prepared an updated set of population projections, using the mid-2006 population estimate as the population base and covering the period from 2007 to 2036. In compiling the projections, the Department has made use of up-to-date information on fertility, mortality and movement patterns of the population which have emerged since the compilation of the last set of population projections.
The results of the latest population projections were announced in a press conference held on July 16, 2007 and a publication Hong Kong Population Projections 2007¡V2036 was published on the same day. This feature article provides a brief account of the projection method, assumptions and results based on information extracted from that publication.
For enquiries about this feature article, please contact the Demographic Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel: 2716 8044).
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 website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/index.jsp).
Print version of this publication is available for sale at HK$100 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 (www.statisticalbookstore.gov.hk) and the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.bookstore.gov.hk). Print versions if purchased online are offered a discount, at 85% of their original prices.
Enquiries about the contents of this publication can be directed to the General Statistics Section (1)B of the C&SD (Tel: 2582 4738).
Ends/Monday, August 20, 2007
Issued at HKT 16:00
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