Circular of the Ministry of Commerce on Relevant Matters Concerning the Handling of the Confirmation Letter for Domestic-funded or
Foreign-funded Projects Encouraged by the State for Development for Foreign-funded Enterprises
Shang Zi Fa [2006] No. 201
The competent commercial departments in all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government and
cities specifically designated in the state plan, and that of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.,
As to the questions as recently encountered by many local competent departments of commerce in issuing confirmation letter of tax
exemption, this Ministry has made a clear reply in the Reply Letter of the Ministry of Commerce on Relevant Matters Concerning the
Handling of the Confirmation Letter of Tax Exemption for Foreign-Funded Enterprises in the Encouraged Category (Shang Zi Han [2006]
No. 41).
In order to further regulate the operating procedures of tax exemption of import equipment for foreign-funded enterprises and clarify
the specific requirements for foreign-funded enterprises to handle the procedure of obtaining the Confirmation Letter for Domestic-Funded
or Foreign-Funded Projects Encouraged by the State for Development and the Certificate for Importation, by Foreign Investment Enterprises,
of Renewal Equipment, Technology, Fittings and Spare Parts (hereinafter referred to as “Confirmation Letter” and “Import Certificate”
respectively), the circular concerning relevant matters are hereby specified as follows in the light of the Law on Chinese-foreign
Equity Joint Ventures, the Law on Chinese-foreign Contractual Joint Ventures, the Law on Foreign-capital Enterprises, Circular of
the State Council On the Adjustment of Taxation Policy On Import equipment (Guo Fa [1999] No. 37, hereinafter referred to as Document
No. 37), Circular on the Implementation of Adjustment of Taxation Policy On Import equipment (Ji Gui Hua [1998] No. 250) and other
related documents.
I.
Basic Principles
Since the State Council decided to issue the Confirmation Letter to the encouraged projects for foreign investment in 1998 and to
issue Import Certificate to qualified foreign-funded enterprises in 1999, relevant departments of the State Council have issued a
series of documents (see Reply Letter of the Ministry of Commerce on Relevant Matters Concerning the Handling of the Confirmation
Letter of Tax Exemption for Foreign-Funded Enterprises in the Encouraged Category (Shang Zi Han [2006] No. 41), prescribing clearly
the departments issuing the Confirmation Letter and Import Certificate, procedures, basis and operational measures in the implementation.
In principle, the Confirmation Letter for foreign-funded projects in the encouraged category shall be issued respectively by departments
of development & plan, trade & economic cooperation and foreign trade & economic cooperation, of which, the Confirmation
Letters for foreign-funded projects in the encouraged category above the upper limit shall be issued by the National Development
and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce respectively; those below the upper limit shall be issued by relevant departments
of the provincial people’s government in light of the present division of duty and limit of power.
Each locality shall continuously comply with the aforesaid regulations and operational measures to ensure that the work of issuing
the Confirmation Letter and Import Certificate and operational procedures run in a steady way.
II.
The Scope of the Confirmation Letter and Import Certificate issued by commercial departments
i.
The Confirmation Letter for Foreign-Funded Enterprises in the Encouraged Category as examined and approved once for all by the Ministry
of Commerce or local competent departments of commerce (or foreign trade & economic cooperation) in accordance with the Law on
Foreign-capital Enterprises and the detailed rules thereof
ii.
The Confirmation Letter of capital increase projects for Foreign-Funded Enterprises in the Encouraged Category as examined and approved
by competent departments of commerce (or foreign trade & economic cooperation) in accordance with the Law on Chinese-foreign
Equity Joint Ventures, the Law on Chinese-foreign Contractual Joint Ventures, the Law on Foreign-capital Enterprises, the detailed
rules thereof and other relevant regulations
iii.
The Confirmation Letter for Foreign-Funded Joint Stock Limited Companies in the Encouraged Category
iv.
The Confirmation Letter for Foreign-Funded Enterprises in the Encouraged Category in the field of service trade
v.
The Confirmation Letter for Foreign-Funded Enterprises in the Encouraged Category as established by foreign investors through merger
and acquisition
vi.
The Confirmation Letter of self-use equipment and supporting technologies, fittings and spare parts that cannot be produced by an
import country at home or the performance of which cannot meet the needs within the total amount of investment for research and development
center set up with foreign investment
vii.
The Confirmation Letter for Foreign-Funded Enterprises in the Encouraged Category as determined on its own initiative in light of
local characteristics and uniformly examined and approved by the Ministry of Commerce in order to improve the investment environment
and simplify the approval procedures
viii.
The Confirmation Letter that should be issued by commercial departments as prescribed in other laws and regulations
ix.
Import Certificate of self-use equipment and supporting technologies, fittings and spare parts that cannot be produced by an import
country at home or the performance of which cannot meet the needs for the established foreign-funded enterprises in the Encouraged
Category and Restrictive Category B, foreign-funded research and development centers, foreign-funded enterprises of advanced technology
and export-oriented foreign-funded enterprises (hereinafter referred to as “Enterprises within the five categories” for short) for
technological reform, within the scope of production and operation originally approved and with self-possessed funds beyond the total
amount of investment
III.
The procedure of the Ministry of Commerce issuing the Confirmation Letter and Import Certificate
i.
For the foreign-funded enterprises for which the Ministry of Commerce shall issue the Confirmation Letter (hereinafter referred to
as “enterprises above the limit”), a written application shall be transferred to the Ministry of Commerce through the people’s governments
at the provincial level.
1.
Local commercial departments and enterprises above the limit shall provide the following materials:
(1) The request for instruction of the Confirmation Letter and Import Certificate reported by local competent departments of commerce
(2) The explanation of enterprises above the limit that file the application for the Confirmation Letter and Import Certificate
(3) The document of approval based on which an enterprise above the limit is set up, photocopies of certificate of approval and business
license, and the record of passing the joint annual inspections
(4) The photocopy of the report of asset appraisal
(5) The list of import equipment in triplicate under the seal of the competent departments of commerce at the provincial level and
enterprises above the limit
(6) Other materials as required by the Ministry of Commerce
For the enterprises within the five categories that apply for the issuing of Import Certificate for the first time, they shall submit
the audit report of the previous year or the photocopy thereof bearing the official seal of the enterprises and other documents,
and give explanations on the total amount of “self-possessed funds” (to be specific, the reserve funds, development funds, depreciations
and post-tax profits of the enterprises) beyond the total amount of investment.
2.
Competent departments of commerce at the provincial level shall make a preliminary examination on the amount of foreign exchange,
execution term (which may not exceed the enterprise construction term in principle), list of import equipment, industrial policy
items to be applied and the total amount of “self-possessed funds” of enterprises above the limit.
3.
The Ministry of Commerce shall review the written applications filed by competent departments of commerce at the provincial level
within 10 workdays after receiving them. For those complying with the state laws, the Ministry of Commerce shall issue the Confirmation
Letter or Import Certificate in triplicate and a sealed list of import equipment, and send copies of them to the General Administration
of Customs and local customs houses simultaneously. For those failing to comply with the state laws, the Ministry of Commerce shall
issue written opinions and explain the reasons.
4.
Enterprises above the limit shall, before importing equipments, go through the formalities of archival filing of tax reduction and
exemption at the customs offices directly under the General Administration of Customs of the place where the enterprises are located
upon the strength of the Confirmation Letter or Import Certificate and other relevant documents.
ii.
The change procedures of the Confirmation Letter for enterprises above the limit
1.
Where the Ministry of Commerce has issued the Confirmation Letter but the investment indeed needs to be changed in the process of
execution
Where the major items like the total amount, amount of foreign exchange and execution term need to be changed, the competent departments
of commerce at the provincial level shall make a preliminary examination on the changed items and the reasons, and file an application
of change with the Ministry of Commerce, attaching the following materials:
(1) Originals of the Confirmation Letter issued and the record of passing the joint annual inspections,
(2) Explanative materials on changed items (the comparison table shall be attached),
(3) The photocopy of the report of asset appraisal,
(4) Other materials as required by the Ministry of Commerce.
2.
The Ministry of Commerce shall review the written applications within 5 workdays after receiving them. For those complying with the
state laws, the Ministry of Commerce shall issue changed Confirmation Letter in triplicate, and send copies to the General Administration
of Customs and local customs houses simultaneously. If the Ministry of Commerce disagrees with the change, it shall issue written
opinions and explain the reasons.
3.
Enterprises above the limit shall go through the formalities of relevant change at the customs offices directly under the General
Administration of Customs of the place where the projects are located on the strength of the Confirmation Letter and other relevant
documents.
iii.
Principles for Examining the List of Import Equipment
In principle, the list of import equipment of a foreign-funded enterprise shall be issued together with the Confirmation Letter or
Import Certificate, and the Ministry of Commerce shall affix a special seal for the import equipment thereto. The equipment mentioned
in the list of the import equipment attached to the Confirmation Letter shall be the self-use equipment imported by the foreign-funded
enterprise within the total amount of investment, as well as the technologies, fittings and spare parts attached to such equipment
in accordance with the contract. The equipment mentioned in the list of the import equipment attached to the Import Certificate shall
be the self-use equipment as well as the technologies, fittings and spare parts attached to such equipments that cannot be produced
at home or the performance of which cannot meet the needs.
Where the import scale is large and the construction period is long, and all the import equipment can not be determined by the foreign-funded
enterprise when the Confirmation Letter is issued, the written application may be filed by the local commercial department to the
Ministry of Commerce by batches, and the Ministry of Commerce may affirm them by batches and affix a special seal for the import
equipment.
IV.
Procedures for the Local Commercial Department to Issue Confirmation Letters and Import Certificates
i.
The competent department of commerce at the provincial level shall be responsible for issuing Confirmation Letters and Import Certificates
for the foreign-funded enterprises as approved by the local commercial department (hereinafter referred to as the “enterprises under
the limit”).
ii.
The competent department of commerce at the provincial level shall issue Confirmation Letters and Import Certificates by reference
to the procedures prescribed in this Circular. The Confirmation Letters and Import Certificates issued by the competent department
of commerce at the provincial level shall be reported to the Ministry of Commerce for archival filing within one month.
V.
Relevant Principles for Issuing Confirmation Letters and Import Certificates
i.
The following principles shall be followed in issuing Confirmation Letters:
1.
Where an enterprise which does not meet the production requirement applies for a Confirmation Letter, the amount of tax exemption
shall be: the total amount of investment (the amount of the increased capital) the amount of the investment in infrastructurethe
amount for purchasing domestic equipment and otherthe fluid capital of the enterprisethe non-cash capital contribution of both
Chinese and foreign parties (except for the capital contributions by equipment).
2.
Where the business scope of a foreign-funded enterprise covers not only the category of encouragement but also the category of permission
or the category of restriction, its application for a Confirmation Letter and the list of the import equipment attached thereto shall
only include the self-use equipment imported for the business scope in the Encouraged Category and the technologies, fittings and
spare parts attached to such equipment in light of the contract, while the import equipment under the business scope of the permitted
category or the restrictive category shall not be listed into the application or the list.
ii.
The following principles shall be followed in issuing Import Certificates:
1.
Each locality shall issue Import Certificates for the “enterprises within the five categories” in strict accordance with the requirements
in the Circular of the former Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation on the Relevant Issues Concerning the Import Equipment
of Foreign-funded Enterprises (Wai Jing Mao Zi Fa [2000] No. 478) and the Circular of the General Administration of Customs on the
Relevant Taxation Policies for Further Encouraging Foreign Investment (Shu Shui [1999] No. 791).
2.
Each local commercial department shall set up a database of “self-possessed funds”, and deduct the amount of “self-possessed funds”
correspondingly after issuing Import Certificates to the enterprises.
Where any “enterprise within the five categories” applies for issuing an Import Certificate again, the amount of tax exemption shall
not exceed the amount of “self-possessed funds” after deduction. After the Import Certificate is issued to an enterprise, the newly
added “self-possessed funds” can be included into the amount of “self-possessed funds”, and the enterprise shall provide corresponding
certificates when he files an application.
iii.
Where a foreign-funded enterprise is created by means of merger, the following principles shall be followed when a Confirmation Letter
or Import Certificate is issued thereto:
1.
If the merged enterprise meets the production requirement, no Confirmation Letter may be issued in principle;
2.
If the foreign investor mergers an enterprise within the territory of China by means of capital increase and newly increases its
production capacity and enlarges its production scale, the commercial department shall issue a Confirmation Letter in light of the
principles as prescribed in Paragraph 1 of Article 5 ; and
3.
If the foreign-funded enterprise established by means of merger falls within “enterprises within the five categories”, it shall apply
for issuing an Import Certificate in accordance with the relevant provisions on the “self-possessed funds” beyond the total amount
of investment of the “enterprises within the five categories”, and the aforesaid “self-possessed funds” shall be newly added after
merger by the foreign-funded enterprise, and the foreign-funded enterprise shall provide corresponding certificates and explanations
to the commercial department.
iv.
Each commercial department at the provincial level shall strictly enforce the relevant provisions, and may not enlarge the application
scope of the clauses and items on the category of encouragement at will or illegally issue Confirmation Letters or Import Certificates,
and may not issue Confirmation Letters or Import Certificates to the enterprises that fail to conform to the requirements of environmental
protection as prescribed by the State.
v.
The Ministry of Commerce shall strengthen its supervision over and guidance of the work on issuing Confirmation Letters to the “enterprises
under the limit”, and shall order the Confirmation Letters or Import Certificates for which the archival filing formalities have
not been handled in time or issued against the provisions to be corrected or cancelled; and shall suspend the qualifications for
issuing Confirmation Letters or Import Certificates if the circumstance is serious, and also notify the relevant customs houses in
combination with the General Administration of Customs for suspending the relevant tax exemption at the import link.
VI.
The enterprises invested by the residents in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao shall be governed by this Circular by analogy.
VII.
This Circular shall be implemented as of the promulgation date, and the power to interpret it shall remain with the Ministry of Commerce.
When encountering any problem in the course of implementation, please contact this Ministry (to be exact, the Department of Foreign
Investment) in a timely way.
Attachment: List of the Import Equipment of Foreign-funded Enterprises
(Seal of) the Ministry of Commerce
April 29, 2006
Annex
Annex:
List
of the Import Equipment of Foreign-funded Enterprises
Shang Zi Que Zi [200 ] Attached Form No.
(Seal of) the Company
List
of the Import Equipment for the Project
Unit: 10,000 US Dollars
Serial
Number |
Name |
Specifications
and Models |
Quantity(Tai /Set) |
Unit
Price |
Amount
of Foreign Exchange to Be Used |
Name
of the Import Country |
Comments |
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Date
Contact
Person
Telephone
Circular of the State Administration of Taxation about the Issues concerning the Exemption of Individual Income Tax on the Commission
Incomes Obtained by Insurance Salesmen
Guo Shui Han [2006] No.454
The administrations of local taxes of all the provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government,
and cities specifically designated in the state plan,
Because of the fierce horizontal competition in the insurance market at present time, the sales expenses of the insurance salesmen
have increased accordingly, and the cost for business development cannot be deducted completely pursuant to the existing provisions.
For the purpose of promoting the development of the insurance industry, and adjust the tax burden of the insurance salesmen reasonably,
we hereby notice as follows:
I.
In accordance with the provisions of the Notice on Clarifying the Composition of the Commissions of Insurance Salesmen (Bao Jian
Fa [2006] No.48 ) by the China Insurance Regulatory Commission, the commissions of the insurance salesmen shall consist of the cost
for business development and the labor remuneration . In accordance with the provisions of the tax law, no individual income tax
shall be levied on the cost for business development in the commission. With regard to labor remuneration, individual income tax
shall be levied by deducting the operating tax and associate charge that have been paid actually according to the relevant provisions
of the tax law.
According to the present actual conditions on business development by insurance salesmen, the proportion of the cost in the commission
for business development shall be determined as 40% for the time being.
II.
The tax authorities at all levels shall calculate and levy tax money in strict accordance with tax law and the aforesaid provisions,
and shall not expand the scope of application, specification , and standard of the policy without permission, and shall not implement
the policies in violation of the uniform provisions of state.
III.
This Notice shall be implemented as of June 1, 2006. Articles 1, 3, and 5 of the Notice of the State Administration of Taxation on
Computation and Collection of Individual Income Tax on the Incomes Obtained by Insurance Salesmen (Non-employees) (Guo Shui Fa [1998]
No.13 ) and the Notice of the State Administration of Taxation on Relevant Issues concerning Collection of Individual Income Tax
on the Incomes Obtained by Insurance Salesmen (Guo Shui Fa [2002] No.98 ) shall be abolished simultaneously.
State Administration of Taxation
May 15, 2006
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