John Gu, Chris Mak and Fiona He explore the key tax issues and considerations of China inbound M&A deals, especially in the education and real estate sectors, including practical challenges for cross-border transactions in these hot sectors, and how an investor can best get prepared.

Chinese governmental authorities remain supportive of rational, well-ordered and healthy outbound investment. Michael Wong, Joseph Tam, Karen Lin, Cloris Li and Alan O’Connor look at key domestic tax and regulatory measures implemented to enhance the competitiveness of Chinese outbound investment on the global stage, including under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The increasing size and sophistication of China’s digital economy, as well as the rapid expansion of Chinese digital economy enterprises into foreign markets, is highlighting a range of complex tax issues, and the importance of policymaker efforts to resolve them. Khoon Ming Ho, Conrad Turley, Sunny Leung, and Mimi Wang explore the issues.

In recent months, the trade issues between China and the US have continued to escalate. So far, the US has imposed 10% tariffs on $250 billion out of the more than $500 billion of China exports to the US, and China has responded with tariffs on $110 billion out of $130 billion US exports to China.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor delivered her second policy address on October 10 2018, which sets out the Hong Kong government’s policies over the coming years.

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.