What is the NBS EasyQuery API format?

The NBS EasyQuery API uses POST requests to https://data.stats.gov.cn/easyquery.htm with parameters like m=QueryData, dbcode (A01 for annual data), rowcode, colcode, wds (filters), and dfwds. It returns JSON with data in a nested structure.

Is there a simpler alternative to the NBS API?

Yes — chinadata.live provides a free, English-language REST API for key China statistics. No registration required. Example: GET https://chinadata.live/api/v2/data/china-gdp returns annual GDP data in clean JSON format.

data.stats.gov.cn API Guide

Q: What is the data.stats.gov.cn EasyQuery API?

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) of China provides a data API at data.stats.gov.cn called EasyQuery. It returns JSON data for official Chinese government statistics including GDP, CPI, population, and trade. The API endpoint uses the format: https://data.stats.gov.cn/easyquery.htm?m=QueryData.

How to access China's official National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) EasyQuery API, what the request format looks like, and when it is easier to use a cleaner JSON or CSV alternative.

Developer quick start

Use NBS when you need the official raw endpoint. Use chinadata.live when you want cleaner JSON or CSV fast.

The NBS EasyQuery API is powerful but code-heavy and Chinese-only. For common China GDP, population, CPI, and trade workflows, the faster path is often the free China Data API docs and ready-made dataset endpoints.

China Data API docs Browse datasets

NBS EasyQuery

POST https://data.stats.gov.cn/easyquery.htm?m=QueryData

Simpler JSON / CSV

curl https://chinadata.live/api/v2/data/china-gdp
curl -L "https://chinadata.live/api/v2/data/china-gdp?format=csv"

NBS EasyQuery API (data.stats.gov.cn)

The NBS provides an undocumented JSON API at data.stats.gov.cn/easyquery.htm. It's powerful but complex:

# Example: Query annual GDP data

POST https://data.stats.gov.cn/easyquery.htm?m=QueryData

dbcode=hgnd&rowcode=sj&colcode=zb&wds=[]&dfwds=[{"wdcode":"zb","valuecode":"A020101"}]

Key parameters:

Parameter	Value	Meaning
m	QueryData	Query mode
dbcode	hgnd / hgyd	Annual / Monthly database
rowcode	sj	Time dimension (rows)
dfwds	JSON array	Indicator filters (wdcode + valuecode)

The API is in Chinese, requires knowledge of NBS indicator codes (like A020101 for GDP), and responses vary by database. It's not officially documented for external use.

Simpler Alternative: chinadata.live API

If you need key China statistics in English with a clean REST API, no registration needed:

# Get China GDP data — no auth, no indicator codes

curl https://chinadata.live/api/v2/data/china-gdp

China GDP (1949–2025)

Annual total population

All Datasets →

Economy, trade, energy, tech

NBS API vs chinadata.live API

Feature	data.stats.gov.cn	chinadata.live
Language	Chinese only	English ✓
Documentation	None (reverse engineered)	Full docs ✓
Auth required	No	No ✓
Data coverage	100,000+ indicators ✓	27 key datasets
Response format	Complex nested JSON	Clean REST JSON ✓
Availability	Blocks non-China IPs sometimes	Global CDN ✓

FAQ

What is the data.stats.gov.cn EasyQuery API?

The NBS provides an unofficial JSON API at data.stats.gov.cn/easyquery.htm. It powers the official NBS data visualization tool and returns data in JSON format. The API uses POST requests with Chinese indicator codes. It is not officially documented for external use but is widely used by researchers.

Why can't I access data.stats.gov.cn from outside China?

The NBS website sometimes restricts access from non-Chinese IP addresses or slows significantly. This is why researchers use a proxy, VPN, or an alternative data source like chinadata.live which mirrors key datasets on a global CDN.

What is the NBS indicator code for China GDP?

The NBS indicator code for GDP (国内生产总值) is A020101 in the annual database (dbcode=hgnd). Alternatively, use curl https://chinadata.live/api/v2/data/china-gdp for a pre-formatted English response.