Asia-Pacific

At an executive meeting of China's State Council on July 23 2018, Premier Li Keqiang announced that the country would expand the scope of the 75% corporate income tax (CIT) super deduction for eligible research and development (R&D) expenses to cover all resident enterprises. This super deduction rate currently applies to defined science and technology-related small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), while other enterprises can obtain a 50% super deduction. The announced changes will abolish the 50% super deduction incentive. The details of the expanded incentive are still pending, and it remains to be seen whether the increased super deduction rate can be applied retroactively and whether the scope of deductible expenses will be expanded further. This improvement to the super deduction follows the enhancement of the incentive in June's Cai Shui (Circular) 64, to cover R&D work outsourced by Chinese enterprises to foreign providers.

The Income-tax Act, 1961 was amended in 2012 such that non-resident taxpayers are not entitled to claim relief under a tax treaty unless they obtain a tax residency certificate (TRC) from their country of residence. But a recent court ruling has changed the situation.

KPMG’s Khoonming Ho and Lewis Lu look at what the Year of the Pig is set to bring to the Chinese tax landscape.