Jiang Jie and Wang Lin, enumerators in charge of some 200 households of the Dongdaqiao community, finished their first interview within 10 minutes at about 3:30 pm on August 23, 2010, as the preliminary phase of the nationwide population census that was launched on Aug 15.

Jiang Jie (M) and Wang Lin (R), enumerators in Chaoyang district, take census information at a resident's house in Hujialou sub-district in Chaoyang district of Beijing, Aug 23, 2010. [Photo by Quan Li/chinadaily.com.cn]

Before starting the interview, they showed the family part of a confidentiality commitment and signed their names on it. All the family had to do was show the household registration and answer questions about the number of persons with permanent registered residence, the name of the head of the house and the residence locations of their children.

During the visit, Jiang Jie compared the oral information with that provided by the local police station. Her colleague, Wang Lin, kept taking notes besides her to keep a detailed record of each interview.

According to Jiangjie, investigations will be conducted from 3 pm to 9 pm everyday.

Each team will be responsible for 10 families each day, said Li Han, a publicist of the sixth population census of Chaoyang district. Most of the residents are glad to accept the interview, and enumerators have been told to behave with courtesy, he said.

"The whole process is relaxing," said Katya, who comes from Georgia and works in a consulting company in Chaoyang district of Beijing. "In Georgia they take the census in a half-military way." Katya was visited at her apartment in Hujialou, a sub-district of Chaoyang district, by two community workers who used to study English at college.

"Residents will read appointment letters before starting the interview, to get a basic understanding of the population census and realize the cooperation they need to offer," said Jiang Jie.