Following its latest tax reform, China's government expects the total tax revenue it collects to drop substantially – by some CN¥2 trillion this year alone. While this is music to the ears of Chinese business owners, it raises questions about whether the country is moving onto a fiscally unsustainable path.
NEW YORK – China is about to slash the employer contribution rate to the social-security fund from 18-20% (with some variation across regions) to 16%, and cut the value-added tax (VAT) rate from 16% to 13% (for most enterprises). This is on top of a previously announced reduction in the corporate income tax charged on the first CN¥3 million ($447,000) of taxable income. These policy moves are timely and useful in combating the downward pressure on economic growth, but they also raise the risk of a future debt crisis.
NEW YORK – China is about to slash the employer contribution rate to the social-security fund from 18-20% (with some variation across regions) to 16%, and cut the value-added tax (VAT) rate from 16% to 13% (for most enterprises). This is on top of a previously announced reduction in the corporate income tax charged on the first CN¥3 million ($447,000) of taxable income. These policy moves are timely and useful in combating the downward pressure on economic growth, but they also raise the risk of a future debt crisis.