Gov't Refuses to Release Gini Coefficient

For the eleventh year in a row, Chinese officials say they cannot publish the nation's Gini coefficient—a common measure of income inequality used worldwide. 

The main reason, National Bureau of Statistics Director Ma Jiantang said January 17, is that data on high-income groups is incomplete. Some experts criticized the announcement, saying the government is looking for reasons to de-emphasize China's significant wealth gap.