China\u27s Rural and Urban Household Survey Data: Collection, Availability, and Problems

As China has become a more important player in international markets in recent decades, an increasing number of researchers have become interested in China\u27s agriculture. China\u27s rural and urban household surveys, begun in 1955, have traditionally been an important source of data, but problems of accuracy and availability have seriously limited their use. This paper provides a historical overview of the surveys, describes the surveys\u27 contents and major changes in recent years, and identifies problems in data availability, collection, and use