The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and China's National Bureau of Statistics have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at improving the measurement of China's rapidly expanding digital economy, marking a significant step toward enhancing economic transparency as geopolitical and trade tensions continue to shape global markets.
The agreement establishes a framework for technical collaboration on implementing the United Nations System of National Accounts 2025 (SNA 2025), the latest international statistical standard that modernizes how economies measure digital activity and intangible assets. The updated framework represents the first major revision of global national accounting standards in 17 years.
As one of the world's largest digital economies, China has become a global leader in sectors including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, e-commerce, and digital platforms. However, the rapid growth of these industries has increased the need for more advanced statistical methods capable of accurately capturing the economic value generated by intangible assets such as data, software, cloud services, and digital infrastructure.
Under the new agreement, the IMF and China's statistical authorities will work together on developing improved methodologies for measuring key areas of the digital economy, including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital intermediation platforms, and data as a productive economic asset.
According to the IMF, the partnership will also promote greater consistency, transparency, and international comparability of official economic statistics. Cooperation between the two institutions will include technical workshops, expert consultations, joint analytical research, high-level exchanges, and the sharing of best practices in statistical methodologies.
The collaboration comes at a time when accurate measurement of China's economic performance has become increasingly important for governments, investors, and international organizations. As digital industries contribute a growing share of national output, traditional economic indicators alone are no longer sufficient to fully assess productivity, innovation, and long-term growth.
The initiative also arrives against the backdrop of continued trade and economic tensions between China and major global economies, including the United States and the European Union. Ongoing disputes over trade imbalances, technology leadership, and supply chain resilience have intensified international scrutiny of China's economic performance and digital capabilities.
By aligning its statistical framework with internationally recognized standards, China is expected to improve the reliability and transparency of its economic reporting while providing policymakers and global investors with a clearer understanding of the country's evolving digital economy.
The agreement reflects the IMF's broader efforts to support modern statistical practices worldwide as digital transformation continues to reshape global economic activity and redefine how national growth is measured.
