Frequently Asked Questions
How do I access China data?
Access China's official statistics through our free API at chinadata.live/api/v2/. No authentication required. Just visit chinadata.live/api/docs for full documentation.
What data sources do you use?
We use official government sources including the National Bureau of Statistics of China, IMF, World Bank, and UN Data. All data is cited and sourced.
How often is the data updated?
Our datasets are updated as new official data becomes available. Most are updated daily, weekly, or monthly depending on the data type. Check the dataset page for specific update frequency.
Can I use this data for commercial purposes?
Original source data remains subject to the rights and restrictions of its providers. No blanket license applies to every chart, metadata record, cleaned file, or API response. See /license/ for details.
How do I cite China Data Portal?
China Data Portal (2026). [Dataset Name]. Retrieved from https://chinadata.live/data/[dataset-slug]/
Do you provide data downloads?
Yes! You can download data in JSON, CSV, or Excel format. Use the download button on dataset pages or access via API.
Is there an API rate limit?
We recommend keeping requests under 100 per minute for optimal performance. Our free tier has generous limits for most use cases.
Can I get real-time data?
We update datasets as new official data becomes available. For real-time needs, consider our premium API tier with webhooks and instant notifications.
Still have questions?
Contact us on Twitter @ChinaDataLive or check our API Documentation and Data Use & Licensing.