The Census is Coming to Your Door… Probably Several Times

Those of us who live in China get used to random intrusions into our homes by police or “volunteers” dropping in to check… well, who knows what they’re checking really, but check they do. On November 1 the biggest check of all begins, with the grandly titled “Sixth National Population Census,” which for the first time will include Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan residents –as well as foreigners living in China. Banners have been up for months, notices are starting to be pinned on doors, and “preliminary checks” have already begun around the city.

One staff member here at the Beijinger has already had a visit from a pair of volunteers who burst into his apartment near Chaoyangmennei Dajie one morning this week and informed him a Swiss woman lives in his apartment. As far as he knows this isn’t true. They then asked to see his passport, which he handed over. After noting down his phone number and failing to actually look at his passport they handed him a bar of soap and left.

At this stage it's unclear whether the "soap for phone numbers" initiative is a city-wide program, or whether it was simply an enterprising touch by the two volunteers in question.

It’s also unclear if these preliminary check are intended to cover the entire city, or what purpose they serve other than giving aging local residents something to do other than sit on street corners wearing red armbands. In any case, China Daily reported this week that an army of 100,000 volunteers will sweep the capital to conduct the census. So don’t be surprised if you receive unexpected visitors over the next few weeks, and then another set in November. And possibly some more in-between.

According to China Daily, “The final census is expected to include 11 items, including nationality, profession, time spent in China and educational background.” Confusingly, an earlier China Daily report stated, “The questionnaire for non-mainland residents is much shorter than for mainland residents — there are only eight questions, including ‘purpose for staying on the Chinese mainland’ and ‘educational attainment’.” The questionnaire forms for foreigners are supposed to be in both Chinese and English.

Back in May, Xinhua helpfully explained that the national census aims to survey "each natural person," which presumably means artificial forms of life will not be included.

While most nations conduct regular censuses in order to update their profiles of demographic shifts etc in national populations, Chinese censuses are also used by local authorities to update “household records.” As a banner strung up near the Beijinger office proclaims – in both English and Chinese – “Actively support the population census and cooperate fully to reconcile household and population records.” Translation: if you haven’t ever gotten around to registering with your da ge down at the local police station yet, it’s probably a good idea to do so.