Beijing ? China’s government sharply increased the official size of its economy in a report Tuesday that said output grew by 16.8 percent last year – nearly twice the figure reported earlier.

The figures were issued by the National Bureau of Statistics following a survey meant to gather more accurate data on China’s emerging service industries, which were underreported in earlier statistics.

The government also will revise its economic growth figures back to 1993 based on the new research, the director of the statistics bureau, Li Deshui, said at a news conference.

The data could have far-reaching effects on social and economic policymaking, showing that restaurants, retailers, real estate firms and other service businesses make up a much bigger share of China’s economy than previously thought.

Based on the new data, China has replaced Italy as the world’s 6th-largest economy, but still ranks behind Britain and France, Li said. The biggest economies are the United States, Japan and Germany.