On March 16, the fifth session of the 10th National People's
Congress passed a new corporate income tax law that will fix a flat
tax rate of 25 percent for both domestic and foreign
enterprises.
The new rate, which will lower the rate domestic firms pay while
raising the rate foreign outfits pay, will take effect on January
1, 2008.
Though the move has been hailed as an attempt to level the
corporate playing field, there is some concern over the effect this
new rate might have in the Shenzhen special economic zone, where
both foreign and domestic enterprises are currently entitled to a
tax rate of 15 percent. However, such concerns are misplaced,
several experts, entrepreneurs and senior government officials said
recently.
"In the short term, some of the enterprises in the special
economic zone could feel the effect, but from a long-term point of
view a standardized tax rate will generate more pros than cons,"
said Yang Lixun, a professor at the Shenzhen academy of social
sciences.
"The new law will not only eliminate the difference in the tax
rates levied on domestic and foreign enterprises, but will also
help establish a single, unified market within the country," Yang
said. "With such a market, China will be more attractive a target
for investment, and therefore Shenzhen, a key connection linking
overseas and domestic markets, will benefit."
"The new law will help create a more transparent, stable and
foreseeable tax system in China," said Joseph Tse, a tax-managing
partner at Deloitte Greater China.
Under the existing tax system, Chinese enterprises pay a rate of
33 percent, while foreign firms pay 15 percent on average.
Like Yang and Tse, Guangdong Province Governor Huang Huahua does
not foresee any problems with the new tax rate, which he described
as "acceptable".
"The average (income) tax rate in the world's 159 countries is
28.6 percent. In the 18 countries around China it is 26.7 percent.
Those are both higher than our new 25 percent tax rate so our tax
is still at the low to medium end of the spectrum," Huang said.
Li Nanfeng, chairman of the Shenzhen International Trust and
Investment Company, said the new tax rate would be "bearable" to
local enterprises.
"The impact caused by the new tax law on Shenzhen's enterprises
will not be dramatic," Li said. "After more than 20 years of
growth, most of the enterprises in Shenzhen are at a certain
economic strength and so should be equipped to bear the new
tax."
Liu Pang, chairman of Shenzhen Dashi Intelligence Company,
struck a similar note, saying the new rate would be a "good thing",
especially for technology firms looking to expand in inland
China.
"The 15 percent tax rate levied on enterprises in the advanced
technology zone will remain unchanged under the new income tax
regime but companies that move inland, away from the technology
zones, will only have to pay 25 percent under the new rate rather
than the 33 percent rate under the old system," Liu said.
The government will maintain the lower tax rate for companies
that work in the high-technology sector to encourage innovation in
the field.
Shenzhen Mayor Xu Zongheng previously said Shenzhen would cope
with the new tax regime by "stepping up its efforts to innovate
while expediting the development of its advanced new technology
industry". The industry generated about 630 billion yuan ($81.5
billion) last year, representing 52 percent of the city's total
output.
"The new income tax rate will not have as big an influence on
Shenzhen as many people think because taxes are just one of the
factors that enterprises must consider when investing in a city,"
said Charles Lee, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
"They will also look at the city's soft environment, which is
generally measured by such criteria as geographic location,
industry intensity, natural and human resources, government
efficiency, client base and infrastructure ... Shenzhen's soft
environment is still one of the best in China ... to remain
attractive after losing its special tax status, Shenzhen will need
to make the environment even better," Lee said.
(China Daily April 3, 2007)