A legislative hearing will be held on September 27 to hear
opinions on amendments to personal income tax law, the national
legislature announced on Sunday.
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It is the first time that the Standing Committee of the National
People's Congress (NPC) has decided to hold such a hearing on a
piece of legislation.
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Wu Bangguo, chairman of the 10th NPC Standing Committee, said it
was a long-held important principle for legislative work to promote
democracy and respond to the public, and the measure should enhance
transparency.
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An official from the NPC Standing Committee's Legislative Affairs
Commission said the amendments relate not only to government's
readjustment of social wealth, but also to the fundamental
interests of individuals, so it is necessary to solicit opinions
from all circles of society.
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Yang Yada, professor at Anhui Industrial University and an NPC
deputy, said a hearing would help citizens understand the intention
of the law and enhance their awareness of tax issues.
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She also said that having heard opinions from different departments
would make the amendment work more efficiently.
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"To absorb opinions from tax collection authorities will help the
legislature understand loopholes; to hear opinions from financial
staff will help them appreciate the need for an individual credit
system to adequately collect taxes from high-income groups; to hear
views from local tax officials from less developed provinces will
help them understand the negative effects of implementing a blanket
change nationwide," she said.
According to the Legislative Affairs Commission official,
representatives of four groups will be invited to attend: law
drafters-- officials from the Ministry of Finance, the State
Administration of Taxation and the Legislative Affairs Office of
the State Council; wage earners; deputies from trade unions and
officials from tax authorities of poor provinces.
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The draft amendments were submitted for their first reading to the
six-day session of the 10th NPC Standing Committee, which concluded
yesterday.
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The amendments include lifting the monthly lower tax threshold from
800 to 1,500 yuan (US$99-185) and requiring high-income groups to
file tax returns and pay taxes themselves.
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Opinions collected at the hearing will be collated into a reference
for the draft amendments' second reading, said the Legislative
Affairs Commission official.
(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2005)