Economy

NBS staff probed for economic data leaks

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-06-14 13:32

BEIJING - A Chinese official confirmed Tuesday that a member at the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is under judicial investigation for leaking key economic data prior to their official release.

Sheng Laiyun, spokesman of the NBS, said at a press conference that the staff member responsible for the secretarial work of the NBS's administrative office is being probed for possibly leaking the data.

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Sheng said the NBS holds a clear attitude toward leaks and supports the investigation.

The NBS response came as key government economic data, viewed as state secrets before the information is officially announced, was apparently leaked to domestic and foreign companies for personal gain.

The nation's economic figures, including the consumer price index (CPI) and gross domestic product (GDP), are highly market-sensitive.

Sheng said the NBS has improved its ability to protect the confidentiality of economic figures and is considering shortening the gap between its compilation and release.

According to data released by NBS on Tuesday, the CPI rose 5.5 percent year-on-year in May, the same as many institutions had reported several days before.