New success was scored in social services by the surveying and mapping sector. In 2005, the sector provided to society relevant services totaling 2.38 billion yuan（～US$297.5 million）in value, including 619,000 sheets of topographic maps of various types, 126,000 quadrangles of digital maps, data of 86,000 geodetic survey points and about 574,000 aerial photographs. It compiled and published 2,164 kinds of maps and books concerning administrative divisions, teaching, tourism, etc, totaling 170 million copies or sheets; organized the development of a batch of maps urgently needed by governmental departments and related sectors in their scientific decision-making; and established a managerial system based on geographic information, thus ensuring the needs of surveying and mapping data by national and local key engineering projects.
The legal system for surveying and mapping was further improved. Hebei, Jilin, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Shandong, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Qinghai and other provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government revised and published the Regulations (Measures) for
Surveying and Mapping Management. A total of 23 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government completed the revision of the Local Regulations (Measures) for Surveying and Mapping Management since the 2002 revision of the Surveying and Mapping Law of the People’s Republic of China.
Fundamental surveying and mapping work was constantly strengthened. New progress was made in the construction of the geographic space framework of the “Digital China”. The 1:50,000 national basic geographic information database was essentially completed. A group of 1:10,000 provincial-level and large-scale municipal- and county-level basic geographic information databases were completed or updated. Numerous national topographic maps at a basic scale were drawn through topographic survey. The geographic information distribution and service system based on the Internet was put into trial operation. The project of “1:50,000 Topographic Mapping of Blank Areas in the Western Region” was formally put on file for implementation with approval from the State Council. A large-scale geodetic survey of the MountQomolangmaarea and the measurement of the elevation of MountQomolangmawere conducted. With approval and authorization from the State Council, the surveying and mapping sector announced to the world that the recently measured elevation of MountQomolangmawas 8,844.43 m. The State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping and the Ministry of Civil Affairs jointly compiled and published the Atlas of Administrative Divisions of the People’s Republic of China. A large group of surveying and mapping scientific research projects of the 10th Five-Year Plan passed examination and evaluation and were accepted. The projects of “Service Technology and Industrialization of Spatial Information Network” and “Automatic Synthesis Technology and Application of Spatial Data” won second-class awards of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Prize.
The surveying and mapping market was further regularized. The Notice of Opinions on Strengthening the Publicity and Education of National Territory Awareness and the Supervision of Map Market issued by the General Office of the State Council was implemented. The State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, together with the Publicity Department of the CCCPC and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, launched the activities of publicity and education of national territory awareness, leading to further enhancement of such awareness among Chinese citizens. The Bureau also issued, jointly with the Press and Publication Administration and the Ministry of Information Industry, the Notice of Strengthening the Management of Online Maps, further improving the management of online maps. The Bureau continued to improve the supervision of the cartographic market. The administrative authorities of surveying and mapping at all levels investigated and dealt with a total of over 440 illegal cartographic cases and sealed up and confiscated 257,000 illegal cartographic products. The nationwide reexamination and certificate renewal of surveying and mapping qualifications were completed. The number of qualified surveying and mapping units exceeded 9,100 at the end of 2005.
Strategic research and planning of surveying and mapping were carried out steadily. The strategic research on the development of surveying and mapping was continued. The Strategic Program of Development of the Surveying and Mapping Cause was further revised and improved. The National Program for Long- and Medium-term Development of Basic Surveying and Mapping, as well as the 11th Five-Year Program for Surveying and Mapping Development, was compiled. Most of China’s provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government had drawn up their basic surveying and mapping plans and their 11th five-year plans of development in surveying and mapping.
Notes:
1. Figures shown in this communiqué are preliminary statistical data.
2. The national statistical data involved in this communiqué, except for the area of territory, do not include the figures of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Macao Special Administrative Region and TaiwanProvince.
