National Bureau of Statistics: A prominent Chinese governmental body, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) is headquartered in Beijing. Established in August 1952, it operates directly under the State Council, serving as China’s principal agency for statistics and economic accounting. Its primary mission involves collecting, compiling, investigating, and publishing comprehensive national economic and social statistics. The NBS organises major censuses and provides vital data for policy-making, making its published statistics the official standard for China’s development.