At the moment of entering into the 21st century, statistics information is in urgent need along with the development of Chinese economy and the deepening of the reform and opening policy.

First, since statistics information mainly uses data to describe social and economic phenomenon, to show national conditions and to reflect national economic performance, it plays a positive role for the formulation of development plans, policy making and evaluation and economic administration of government at all levels.

Second, statistics information is essential for all circles of the society especially enterprises and academic institutes to do research in economic issues, trace the economic development trend and find business opportunities.

Third, since the Chinese economy has already been integrated into the world economy, statistics information will be greatly useful for the international society to understand China, make researches on Chinese economy and thereby for China to carry out economic communications and cooperations with other countries and regions in the world. In this aspect, the United Nations advocates that a country merged in the international society should have the ability of providing over 1600 statistics indicators on national conditions.

The above-mentioned functions of statistics information have determined the needs of the government, enterprises, academic sector and the international society for the Chinese statistic data. Government statistics organs at all levels have made great efforts to meet such needs.

Being a part of the efforts and approved by the Press and Publication Administration of PRC, National Bureau of Statistics has published the China Monthly Economic Indicators in the new millennium, with the aim to provide all the sectors of the society with systematic, compete and prompt monthly information on economic performance while keeping its characteristics of accuracy, richness and authority.

We hope this new publication can be helpful for the governments, enterprises, academic institutes and international society to do researches on the economic performance, to learn the characteristics of economic performance and trace the trend of the economic development.

Taking this opportunity we would like to thank all the ministries who have given us supports.

Talking this opportunity we would also like to express our thanks to the readers. To illustrate by data is the characteristic of the China Monthly Economic Indicators and is also what we have expected to the China Monthly Economic Indicators.