China's capital is forging an evaluation system for a harmonious society which will include an index of residents' happiness, according to local senior statistical official.

The move can be seen as part of the nation's efforts to build a harmonious society, observers here believe.

Cui Qiang, head of the municipal bureau of statistics, said on Monday that the assessment system will be established in the 2006-2010 period, and will be improved continuously. Its research results, including those on how happy Beijingers feel about their life and society, will be made public regularly.

Cui said the system will cover the living conditions of residents, their requirements for living and the government's capability of coordination. It will consist of 15 indices, such as residents' income gap, safety assessment, area of emergency havens for residents, Cui added.

Last year, the municipal bureau of statistics conducted two surveys of harmony in the society.

The surveys found that more than 70 percent of Beijing's citizens were optimistic about their futures.

Meanwhile, the survey findings also showed that 68.2 percent of the respondents felt basically happy.

(Xinhua News Agency February 22, 2006)