Written in China for China Professionals by China Professionals

Qingdao Tax Bureau Releases New Notice on Corporate Income Tax

QINGDAO, Aug. 4 – The local Qingdao taxation bureau recently issued a notice regarding the management approach of corporate income tax for financial funds, effective September 1, 2010.

The notice, issued July 21, applies to enterprises which both obtain financial funds and pay corporate income tax in Qingdao. Financial funds are defined as capital obtained from the government and other relevant financial departments, including different types of financial assistance, subsidies, and other special funds. The tax rebates that companies acquire from the government due to exporting products are excluded. Read the rest of this entry »



New Shanghai-Nanjing High Speed Railway Cuts Travel Time

By Joyce Roque

Jul. 5 – The new high speed train from Shanghai to Nanjing, which began operations on Jul. 1, has cut travel time between cities from at least three hours to about one hour and 40 minutes with prices 56 percent higher than regular trains.

Ticket prices begin at RMB146 for a one way second-class seat and RMB233 for a one way first-class seat. The difference in comfort between the two is not huge. The second-class seats have five people per row or 100 people per carriage as opposed to first class with only 80 people per carriage.

The second-class seat is comfortable enough for a nap with ample leg space and reclining seats for even the tall expatriate. There is a retractable desk behind every seat that is the right size for reading or writing in addition to a spacious overhead storage shelf. Read the rest of this entry »



China-India Investment Seminars a Big Hit

May 28 – The China-India seminars held this week by Aneet Virk. Read the rest of this entry »



China Joint Venture Success “A Mindset” Rather Than A Legal Structure

May 26 – The Asian CEO forum took place this morning at the Grand Hyatt in Shanghai, where guest speaker Chris Devonshire-Ellis tabled the notion “China Joint Ventures – A Mindset or A Legal Structure?” in a two hour think tank session with some of China’s top multinational CEOs.

The event, organized by IMA Asia, was a round table discussion examing the pertinent management methods of a successful JV in China. The main issues that came out of the debate were as follows:

  • It is important to select the right JV partner to fit your goals and not to compromise on this
  • JVs are seen essentially as a strategic investment to later exit from or convert to a WFOE, consequently an exit strategy and performance triggers need to be built into the agreement up front Read the rest of this entry »


Shanghai Expo 2010: The New Zealand Pavilion


The 2010 World Exposition in Shanghai is the first registered one in a developing country. Officially known as “Expo Shanghai 2010,” it will last 184 days and provide China an opportunity to show off its remarkable economic growth. The expo will also give foreign nations and companies a chance to further develop business partnerships with China and Chinese companies. This is the twenty-first in an ongoing series that will look at the expo from country pavilions to trade development. In this article, we take a look at the New Zealand Pavilion.

By Joe Drury

May 21 – According to the Maori creation legend, Tane-Muhata, the god of forests created the world we inhabit by forcefully separating his parents, the Sky and the Earth, from their eternal embrace. The New Zealand government has spent US$30 million to translate this story into a pavilion to express the theme “Cities of Nature: Living between Land and Sky.” Read the rest of this entry »



Ningbo Issues VAT General Taxpayer Management Approach

May 20 – The Ningbo municipal office recently issued a notice regarding the management approach for VAT general taxpayers, effective May 1.

The notice, issued May 17, specifies the qualifications for VAT general taxpayers, which include business or enterprise units whose annual taxable sales exceed RMB500,000 and engage in production or service business; or other taxpayers whose annual taxable sales exceed RMB800,000. The annual taxable sales refer to the accumulated VAT sales within 12 consecutive operational months. Read the rest of this entry »



Shanghai Expo 2010: The Vietnamese Pavilion


The 2010 World Exposition in Shanghai is the first registered one in a developing country. Officially known as “Expo Shanghai 2010,” it will last 184 days and provide China an opportunity to show off its remarkable economic growth. The expo will also give foreign nations and companies a chance to further develop business partnerships with China and Chinese companies. This is the twentieth in an ongoing series that will look at the expo from country pavilions to trade development. In this article, we take a look at the Vietnamese Pavilion.

By Joe Drury

May 19 – Vietnam’s involvement with China’s Expo 2010 has a special significance compared to the other pavilions, as this year marks the 60th anniversary of political relations between the two countries. Vietnam’s pavilion, with an area of 1,000 square meters will center upon its capital city with the theme “1,000-year History of Hanoi.” Read the rest of this entry »



Shanghai Expo 2010: The Pakistani Pavilion


The 2010 World Exposition in Shanghai is the first registered one in a developing country. Officially known as “Expo Shanghai 2010,” it will last 184 days and provide China an opportunity to show off its remarkable economic growth. The expo will also give foreign nations and companies a chance to further develop business partnerships with China and Chinese companies. This is the nineteenth in an ongoing series that will look at the expo from country pavilions to trade development. In this article, we take a look at the Pakistani Pavilion.

By Joe Drury

May 17 – With the theme “Harmony in Diversity,” the Pakistan pavilion promises to attract a crowd with its eye-catching structure during the six-month run of Expo 2010. Although the 2,000 square meter pavilion was constructed using modern technology and materials, it resembles the historical Lahore Fort landmark, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Pakistan’s second largest city. Read the rest of this entry »



Shanghai Expo 2010: The Bangladeshi Pavilion


The 2010 World Exposition in Shanghai will be the first registered one in a developing country. Officially known as “Expo Shanghai 2010,” it will last 184 days and provide China an opportunity to show off its remarkable economic growth. The expo will also give foreign nations and companies a chance to further develop business partnerships with China and Chinese companies. This is the eighteenth in an ongoing series that will look at the upcoming expo, from country pavilions to trade development. In this article, we take a look at the Bangladeshi Pavilion.

By Peter Higgins

May 7 – Bangladesh was the 188th country to sign on and join Expo 2010 in Shanghai. Their joint pavilion measures 324 square and features the theme “Spirit and Growth of Golden Bengal.” Read the rest of this entry »



Shanghai Expo 2010: The Russian Pavilion

The 2010 World Exposition in Shanghai will be the first registered one in a developing country. Officially known as “Expo Shanghai 2010,” it will last 184 days and provide China an opportunity to show off its remarkable economic growth. The expo will also give foreign nations and companies a chance to further develop business partnerships with China and Chinese companies. This is the seventeenth in an ongoing series that will look at the upcoming expo, from country pavilions to trade development. In this article, we take a look at the Russian Pavilion.

By Peter Higgins

May 3 – With a long history of Expo participation, including the first World Expo in 1851 in London, Russia expects its Shanghai pavilion to attract a large number of visitors. The nation’s goal is to present a modern Russia, highlight technological achievements and embrace the Expo theme of “Better City, Better Life.” Read the rest of this entry »