The Beijing municipal government surprised the public recently by saying that the capital has only about 62,000 official cars, when the general perception is that there are about 1 million official cars in the city. The cause of the confusion is the scope rather than the method of the Beijing municipal government's tabulation, says an article in Qilu Evening News. Excerpts:

The Beijing financial bureau says there are only about 62,000 official cars in the city, while municipal officials claim they have no idea about the official cars in the capital, because they belong to central government departments, the military, State-owned enterprises and other authorities.

The public, therefore, has every reason to be concerned and ask for the exact number. The Beijing financial bureau may have excuses for not making public the exact number of official cars in the city, but none of them can override the public's right to know the facts.

Making the number of all official cars public is the first step in efficient supervision. If that is not done, it will be impossible to understand the real contribution of these vehicles to traffic jams and the amount spent on their purchase and maintenance. Also, if the actual number of official cars is tens of times higher and the municipal government releases a much lower figure, it will impossible to determine to what extent they are to blame for the terrible traffic jams in Beijing.

Hence, the municipal government should publicize the exact number of official cars in Beijing.