February 2009 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics is now available
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     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (February 20) the February 2009 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (HKMDS).

     In this issue, three feature articles entitled "Trading Firms with Manufacturing-related Activities", "Salary Statistics of Middle-level Managerial and Professional Employees 1998 to 2008" and "Persons with Disabilities and Chronic Diseases in Hong Kong" are included.

"Trading Firms with Manufacturing-related Activities"

     Driven by the open economic policies of China, the Hong Kong economy has been undergoing structural changes since the 1980s.  Among other changes, many Hong Kong manufacturers have relocated their manufacturing processes to the mainland of China (the Mainland).  Some import and export firms in Hong Kong also operate factories in the Mainland.  Through the sub-contract processing arrangement in the Mainland, Hong Kong entrepreneurs have successfully reduced the costs of manufacturing by taking advantage of the abundant labour and land resources in the Mainland.  Many of the firms which have moved their manufacturing processes to the Mainland continue to operate in Hong Kong, in the form of import and export firms.  These firms also provide manufacturing-related technical support services, e.g. product design, sample and mould making, and production planning, to the associated manufacturing firms in the Mainland.

     Feature articles addressing this subject have been published regularly since 1995.  The present feature article provides some latest information on the above development.

     For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Distribution Services Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel. : 2802 1367).

"Salary Statistics of Middle-level Managerial and Professional Employees 1998 to 2008"

     This feature article describes the movements of the salaries of middle-level managerial and professional employees in major economic sectors during the period from 1998 to 2008.  Statistics of employees¡¦ entitlement to various kinds of fringe benefits are also presented.

     During the ten-year period, salary levels of middle-level managerial and professional employees registered negative growth in some years, as the labour market was affected by Hong Kong¡¦s economic cycle.  Notwithstanding this, the average salary rate of middle-level managerial and professional employees still showed a growth over the entire period, at an average rate of 0.6% per year when measured by the Nominal Salary Index (A) and 2.3% when measured by the Nominal Salary Index (B).  Moreover, notable changes were also observed in the entitlement of such employees to various fringe benefits when compared with ten years ago.

     For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Wages and Labour Costs Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel. : 2887 5550).

"Persons with Disabilities and Chronic Diseases in Hong Kong"

     C&SD conducted a territory-wide survey on persons with disabilities and chronic diseases during November 2006 to December 2007.  The survey aimed to study the basic profiles of persons with disabilities and chronic diseases and to collect information about the carers of these persons.  This feature article gives a brief account of the major findings of the survey.

     For enquiries about this feature article, please call the General Household Survey Section (1), C&SD (Tel.: 2887 5503).

     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 the publication free of charge at the website of C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/index.jsp).

     Print version of the publication is available for sale at HK$142 per issue.  Purchase can be done in person at the Publications Unit of 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 Website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/other_services/provision_of_stat/mail_ordering_of_publications/index.jsp).  Print version of the publication is also available for sale online at the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.bookstore.gov.hk).

     Enquiries about the contents of the publication can be directed to the General Statistics Section (1)B of C&SD (Tel. : 2582 4738).

Ends/Friday, February 20, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:00

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