(ECNS) - Shanghai's bureau of statistics has apologized for mistakenly implying that the city's population has reached 70 million.
The bureau had said that Shanghai would conduct a one-percent sample census involving about 700,000 people.
The statement gave rise to a widely distributed article on WeChat, a popular social networking app, which said the bureau had disclosed Shanghai's population as being 70 million.
In response, the bureau said its information was incomplete and had been misinterpreted.
The bureau added that it was referring to the national one-percent sample census to be launched from November 1 to November 15. But to improve the data's accuracy, Shanghai will conduct a three-percent sample census, which will survey approximately 700,000 of the municipality's 24.25 million-strong population.
The initial information had failed to emphasize the three-percent sample size, according to the bureau.
