Business tax is a kind of turnover tax imposed on corporations and persons engaged in the provision of services (hereinafter referred to as "taxable services"), the transfer of intangible assets or the sale of immovable properties within the territory of the People's Republic of China.

Scope of Charge

• Servicing (including management consultant, agency, warehousing, advertising and other services)
• Communications and transportation (including transportation by land, water, air and pipeline)
• Construction (including construction, installation and improvement)
• Sale of immovable properties (including sale of buildings and others)
• Transfer of intangible assets (including transfer of land-use rights, industrial property rights, trade mark rights and others)
• Entertainment (including karaoke lounges, dance halls, billiards, golf, bowling and others)
• Culture and sports
• Post and telecommunications
• Finance and insurance

Basis of Assessment

Business tax is assessed on the basis of turnover; that is, all money received from the provision of taxable services, the transfer of intangible assets or the sale of immovable properties

Tax Rate

Applicable are different proportional tax rates subject to different industries as follows:

• Servicing, sale of immovable properties, and transfer of intangible assets are chargeable at the tax rate of 5%
• Communications and transportation, construction, posts and telecommunications, culture and sports are chargeable at the tax rate of 3%
• Entertainment is chargeable at a tax rate from 5% to 20%

Computation of Tax Payable

Tax Payable = Turnover × Tax Rate

Tax Preferences

• Enterprises with foreign investment and their research and development centers, foreign enterprises and foreign nationals engaged in the transfer of technology, development of technology and its related technical consultancy, and technical services are exempt from business tax on their income
• Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFII), which entrust corporations within China to deal with securities, are exempt from business tax on their difference gains from securities trading
• Services provided by nurseries and other welfare institutions, medical services provided by medical establishments, educational services provided by schools and agricultural technical training services are exempt from business tax