Introduction to China’s regional fiscal development index
“The fiscal development index of each region in China consists of seven indexes, including fiscal revenue stability, fiscal expenditure optimization, debt sustainability, social security sustainability, budget management standards, public service provision, and provincial fiscal balance. This index system reflects the horizontal differences and changing trends of various regions in terms of per capita financial resources, fiscal revenue structure, fiscal expenditure structure, debt burden, social security support burden, equalization of basic public services, etc. This index is used to conduct data on the fiscal development of each region. The "portrait" reflects the achievements and deficiencies in the process of local fiscal development. It can provide a decision-making basis for accelerating the construction of a modern fiscal system and establishing a central-local fiscal relationship with "clear rights and responsibilities, financial coordination, and regional balance", and can provide a basis for solving imbalances and imbalances. Fully developing issues and promoting high-quality development anchor important policy focus."
————Excerpted from "Financial Think Tank" Issue 2, 2023
With the authorization of Professor Lu Bingyang of Renmin University of China, CnOpenData has established a display area and data index for this data to facilitate scholars' browsing.
For data download and more information about this data, please jump to China’s Regional Fiscal Development Index Report , or download the data directly at the end of this page.
Data structure
Data content
China’s regional fiscal development index 2021
| Index | Data | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fiscal revenue soundness index | General public budget revenue | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal revenue soundness index | Tax revenue ratio | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal revenue soundness index | High tax ratio | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal revenue soundness index | Land transfer fee dependence | 2008-2017 "Land and Resources Yearbook", 2018-2020 provincial final accounts reports or budget implementation reports of each province |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | General public budget expenditure | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | Total population at the end of the year | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | Education expenditure | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | Medical expenses | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | Employment and social security expenditures | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | Technology Spending | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | Energy saving and environmental protection expenditure | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | General public service expenditures | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | "National budget funds" among the sources of fixed asset investment funds | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Debt Sustainability Index | Local government bond balance | Ministry of Finance |
| Debt Sustainability Index | Interest-bearing debt balance of local urban investment companies | wind |
| Debt Sustainability Index | GDP | "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Social Insurance Fund Sustainability Index | Number of retirees participating in pension insurance | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Social Insurance Fund Sustainability Index | Number of active employees | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Social Insurance Fund Sustainability Index | Urban Employees Basic Pension Insurance Fund Income | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Social Insurance Fund Sustainability Index | Urban employee basic pension insurance fund expenditure | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Social Insurance Fund Sustainability Index | Urban Employees Basic Medical Insurance Fund Income | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Social Insurance Fund Sustainability Index | Urban employee basic medical insurance fund expenditure | 2008-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Budget Management Index | General public budget expenditure budget number | Provincial budget implementation and budget draft reports for each province over the years |
| Budget Management Index | Final accounts of general public budget expenditures | 2009-2021 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Budget Management Index | Audit violation amount | 2009-2018 "China Auditing Yearbook" |
| Budget Management Index | China Fiscal Transparency Index | 2009-2017 "China Fiscal Transparency Report" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of primary school teachers | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of primary school students | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of junior high school teachers | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of junior high school students | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Health technicians per 1,000 population | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of beds per 1,000 population | 2013-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of beds in medical institutions | 2009-2012 Local Statistical Yearbook |
| Basic Public Service Index | Total population | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Per capita library collection | 2012-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Library collection | 2009-2011 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Actual road area at the end of the year | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Administrative area land area | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of beds in civil affairs institutions | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | General public budget revenue of prefecture-level cities | 2008-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | General public budget expenditures of prefecture-level cities | 2008-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Gross regional product of prefecture-level cities | 2008-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Year-end registered population of prefecture-level cities | 2008-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Number of full-time teachers in ordinary middle schools in prefecture-level cities | 2008-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Number of full-time teachers in ordinary primary schools in prefecture-level cities | 2008-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Number of students in ordinary middle schools in prefecture-level cities | 2008-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Number of students in ordinary primary schools in prefecture-level cities | 2008-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Book collection of prefecture-level city public libraries | 2008-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Number of practicing doctors in prefecture-level cities | 2008-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | The actual urban road area in prefecture-level cities at the end of the year | 2008-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
China’s regional fiscal development index 2020
| Index | Data | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fiscal revenue soundness index | General public budget revenue | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal revenue soundness index | Tax revenue ratio | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal revenue soundness index | High tax ratio | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal revenue soundness index | Land transfer fee dependence | Provincial final accounts reports or budget implementation reports for each province over the years |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | General public budget expenditure | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | Total population at the end of the year | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | Education expenditure | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | Medical expenses | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | Employment and social security expenditures | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | Technology Spending | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | Energy saving and environmental protection expenditure | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | General public service expenditures | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Fiscal Expenditure Optimization Index | "National budget funds" among the sources of fixed asset investment funds | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Debt Sustainability Index | Local government bond balance | Ministry of Finance |
| Debt Sustainability Index | Interest-bearing debt balance of local urban investment companies | wind |
| Debt Sustainability Index | GDP | "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Social Insurance Fund Sustainability Index | Number of retirees participating in pension insurance | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Social Insurance Fund Sustainability Index | Number of active employees | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Social Insurance Fund Sustainability Index | Urban Employees Basic Pension Insurance Fund Income | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Social Insurance Fund Sustainability Index | Urban employee basic pension insurance fund expenditure | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Social Insurance Fund Sustainability Index | Urban Employees Basic Medical Insurance Fund Income | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Social Insurance Fund Sustainability Index | Urban employee basic medical insurance fund expenditure | 2008-2019 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of primary school teachers | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of primary school students | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of junior high school teachers | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of junior high school students | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Health technicians per 1,000 population | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of beds per 1,000 population | 2013-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of beds in medical institutions | 2009-2012 Local Statistical Yearbook |
| Basic Public Service Index | Total population | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Per capita library collection | 2012-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Library collection | 2009-2011 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Actual road area at the end of the year | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Administrative area land area | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Basic Public Service Index | Number of beds in civil affairs institutions | 2009-2020 "China Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | General public budget revenue of prefecture-level cities | CEIC database |
| Provincial equalization index | General public budget expenditures of prefecture-level cities | CEIC database |
| Provincial equalization index | Gross regional product of prefecture-level cities | CEIC database |
| Provincial equalization index | Year-end registered population of prefecture-level cities | 2009-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Number of full-time teachers in ordinary middle schools in prefecture-level cities | 2009-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Number of full-time teachers in ordinary primary schools in prefecture-level cities | 2009-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Number of students in ordinary middle schools in prefecture-level cities | 2009-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Number of students in ordinary primary schools in prefecture-level cities | 2009-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Book collection of prefecture-level city public libraries | 2009-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Number of doctors in prefecture-level cities | 2009-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | Number of hospital beds in prefecture-level cities | 2009-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
| Provincial equalization index | The actual urban road area in prefecture-level cities at the end of the year | 2009-2019 "China Urban Statistical Yearbook" |
China’s regional fiscal development index 2018
| Indicator name | Exponential direction | Indicator categories | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Fiscal revenue stability index | Aspect Index | ||
| 1a Financial resources per capita | Forward | Sub-item indicators | General public budget revenue/population |
| 1b Transfer payment dependence | Negative | Sub-item indicators | Transfer payments/general public budget revenue |
| 1c financial contribution | Forward | Sub-item indicators | Tax revenue/central transfer payments organized by the provincial tax department and attributed to the central government |
| 1d tax revenue ratio | Forward | Sub-item indicators | Tax revenue/general public budget revenue |
| 1e large tax ratio | Forward | Sub-item indicators | (VAT + Corporate Income Tax + Personal Income Tax + Business Tax)/Tax Revenue |
| 1f Land transfer fee dependence | Negative | Sub-item indicators | Land transfer revenue/general public budget revenue |
| 2. Fiscal expenditure structure index | Aspect Index | ||
| Proportion of 2a administrative expenses | Negative | Sub-item indicators | General public service expenditure/general public budget expenditure |
| 2b Proportion of livelihood expenditure | Forward | Sub-item indicators | (Education + Medical + Employment and Social Security Expenditure)/General Public Budget Expenditure |
| Proportion of 2c fiscal investment expenditure | Negative | Sub-item indicators | "National budget funds"/general public budget expenditures among the sources of fixed asset investment funds |
| 2d Government Investment Tendency | Negative | Sub-item indicators | State-owned infrastructure investment (transportation, warehousing and postal industry & water conservancy environment and public facilities management industry among fixed asset investment)/general public budget expenditure |
| 2e Environmental Protection Expenditure Proportion | Forward | Sub-item indicators | Energy conservation and environmental protection expenditure/general public budget expenditure |
| 3. Debt sustainability index | Aspect Index | ||
| 3a explicit debt ratio | Negative | Sub-item indicators | Local government bond balance/GDP |
| 3b Implicit debt ratio | Negative | Sub-item indicators | Interest-bearing debt balance of local urban investment companies/GDP |
| 3c General debt ratio | Negative | Sub-item indicators | (Local government bond balance + Interest-bearing debt balance of local urban investment companies)/GDP |
| 3D infrastructure investment fund gap rate | Negative | Sub-item indicators | (Amount of investment in local infrastructure industry - Amount of investment within budget)/GDP |
| 4. Social Security Sustainability Index | Aspect Index | ||
| 4a Social Security Fund Surplus Rate | Forward | Sub-item indicators | (Social Security Fund Income for the Year - Expenditure for the Year)/Income for the Year |
| 4b Pension insurance dependency ratio | Negative | Sub-item indicators | Number of retirees/number of active employees among urban employee pension insurance participants |
| 4c pension insurance fund surplus rate | Forward | Sub-item indicators | (Urban Employees’ Pension Insurance Fund’s current year’s income – current year’s expenditure)/current year’s income |
| 4d medical insurance fund surplus rate | Forward | Sub-item indicators | (Urban Employees Medical Insurance Fund current year’s income – current year’s expenditure)/current year’s income |
| 5. Budget management index | Aspect Index | ||
| Deviation degree of 5a expenditure budget and final account | Negative | Sub-item indicators | The deviation ratio between the total expenditures and the total budget |
| 5b revenue budget and final account deviation | Negative | Sub-item indicators | The deviation ratio between the final revenue total and the budgeted total |
Note: General public budget revenue and general public budget expenditures are the revenue and expenditure of local governments at the same level.
References
- Ma Guangrong, Lu Bingyang, "China's Regional Fiscal Development Index Report 2021", Renmin University of China Press, February 2023.
- Ma Guangrong, Lu Bingyang, "China's Regional Fiscal Development Index Report 2020", China Renmin University Press, December 2021.
Data update frequency
Updated from time to time