It’s hard to know just how far to trust some of the statistics presented in the media. We’ve been burned before here at Danwei presenting numbers that later turned out to be false, but what can we do? Here are some of the numbers making the Beijing media Monday (all information is for Beijing unless otherwise noted):
- 120,000: Number of traffic ticket notifications, out of 710,000, returned as undeliverable because drivers failed to update their address information. Under the old system, drivers had to voluntarily check their records, but they are still responsible for paying fines under the new system even if they don’t receive the posted notification.
- 21,956: Number of people with a high-school diploma taking the college entrance exam for adults.
5778: Number that will be admitted to college. - 70%: Percentage of citizens who want to participate in making laws. A survey of Beijing residents found that 90% want to learn more about the legal system and over 70% want to have a hand in the laws themselves.
- 2600: Number of electronic police message boards to be installed in communities throughout the city in an effort to “bring safety” by notifying residents of current conditions and to familiarize them with regulations.
- 94.8%: Percentage of moon cakes that pass inspection as determined by a survey of 81 sales locations throughout Guangdong, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Beijing. Reportedly, this is higher than last years’ number.
- 200: Number of representatives from Beijing who will go to Macao to promote the 2008 Olympic Games. They will show off Beijing’s “ancient yet vibrantly modern city image,” and hold a ceremony to present books about the Olympics to Macao schoolchildren.
- 600,000: Number of Beijing residents suffering from or having suffered from depression.
- 505: Number of performances of “Red Scarf” to date. This children’s play teaches today’s kids about the revolution by sending the main characters back in time to see the tragedy and sacrifice of the battlefield.
- 40: Number of major roads crossing Beijing’s Central Business District by 2007. These will increase road coverage to 39% and (hopefully) alleviate some of the gridlock.
- 52: Minutes the average Beijinger spends reading books or newspapers each weekday. On weekends the figure rises to 82 minutes. In 1986 the numbers were 11 and 28 minutes respectively.
Links and Sources