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The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) published today (December 22) the December 2009 issue of the Hong Kong Monthly Digest of Statistics (HKMDS).
In this issue, three feature articles entitled "Port Cargo Statistics", "Salient Features of Hong Kong's International Investment Position for the period 2000 to 2008" and "Statistical Approach for Measuring Sectoral Development - Progressing with the Times" are included.
"Port Cargo Statistics"
The port of Hong Kong is a major hub port of the Asia-Pacific region. Hong Kong's port cargo throughput increased by 5.7% from 245 million tonnes in 2007 to 259 million tonnes in 2008. The port cargo movements between Hong Kong and the mainland of China accounted for 40.8% of Hong Kong's port cargo throughput in 2008. About 73.5% of these Mainland-Hong Kong port cargo movements were between Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region.
This feature article provides a detailed analysis of the port cargo statistics of Hong Kong from 2003 to 2008. It also briefly highlights the more recent performance of the sector by making reference to the quarterly port cargo statistics from the first quarter of 2008 to the second quarter of 2009.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Shipping and Cargo Statistics Section, C&SD (Tel: 2582 4889).
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"Salient Features of Hong Kong's International Investment Position for the period 2000 to 2008"
International Investment Position (IIP) is a balance sheet showing an economy's stock of external financial assets and liabilities at a particular time point. This feature article describes the salient features of Hong Kong's IIP for the period 2000 to 2008.
At end-2008, the net IIP of Hong Kong is $4,826.7 billion. During the period 2000 to 2008, Hong Kong's external assets exceeded the external liabilities every year, resulting in a net asset position. This indicates that Hong Kong has been a net creditor since 2000.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Balance of Payments Section (1)1, C&SD (Tel: 2116 8660).
"Statistical Approach for Measuring Sectoral Development - Progressing with the Times"
C&SD has all along been adhering to international standards and practices in developing statistical methods for compiling different types of statistics. However, there are occasions where C&SD has to devise supplementary statistical frameworks using tailor-made methods to address statistical needs specific to the Hong Kong setting. This is also a common approach adopted in many statistically advanced economies.
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This feature article outlines the tailor-made methods adopted by C&SD in developing supplementary statistical frameworks for measuring sectoral developments in Hong Kong over the years. A number of examples are used to illustrate the salient professional considerations involved.
For enquiries about this feature article, please call the Development Branch, C&SD (Tel: 2582 4955).
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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/statistical_report/general_statistical_digest/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/Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:32
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