Regulatory Overview

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Regulatory Overview THIS DOCUMENT IS IN DRAFT FORM, INCOMPLETE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND THE INFORMATION MUST BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SECTION HEADED “WARNING” ON THE COVER OF THIS DOCUMENT. REGULATORY OVERVIEW HONG KONG REGULATORY OVERVIEW The following is a summary of certain aspects of the Hong Kong laws and regulations which are relevant to our Group’s operation and business within the territory of Hong Kong. Import and export declaration Import and Export Ordinance, Import and Export (General) Regulations and Import and Export (Registrations) Regulations The Import and Export Ordinance (Chapter 60 of the Laws of Hong Kong) is an ordinance to provide for, among others, the regulation and control of the import of articles into Hong Kong and the export of articles from Hong Kong. Textiles, which include any natural or artificial fibre products and any combination of natural and artificial fibre as defined under the Import and Export (General) Regulations (Chapter 60A of the Laws of Hong Kong), a subsidiary legislation of the Import and Export Ordinance, are currently not a ‘‘prohibited article’’ under the provision of the Import and Export Ordinance and its subsidiary legislations. Thus, a licence issued by the Director-General of Trade and Industry for permission of importation and exportation is not necessary under the Import and Export Ordinance. However, we can apply for registration under the Import and Export (General) Regulations as a registered textiles trader under the textiles trader registration scheme (“TTRS”). TTRS is a voluntary registration scheme and is not a mandatory requirement for us to conduct our business. The Import and Export (Registration) Regulations (Chapter 60E of the Laws of Hong Kong), a subsidiary legislation of the Import and Export Ordinance, provides that when importing or exporting any articles into or out of Hong Kong, the importer or exporter must lodge an accurate and complete import or export declaration with the Customs and Excise Department. Tax Inland Revenue Ordinance The Inland Revenue Ordinance (Chapter 112 of the Laws of Hong Kong) is an ordinance for the purposes of imposing taxes on property, earnings and profits in Hong Kong. The Inland Revenue Ordinance provides, among others, that persons, which include corporations, partnerships, trustees and bodies of persons, carrying on any trade, profession or business in Hong Kong are chargeable to tax on all profits (excluding profits arising from the sale of capital assets) arising in or derived from Hong Kong from such trade, profession or business. As at the Latest Practicable Date, the standard profits tax rate for corporations is at 16.5%. The Inland Revenue Ordinance also contains provisions relating to, among others, permissible deductions for outgoings and expenses, set-offs for losses and allowances for depreciation. —74— THIS DOCUMENT IS IN DRAFT FORM, INCOMPLETE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND THE INFORMATION MUST BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SECTION HEADED “WARNING” ON THE COVER OF THIS DOCUMENT. REGULATORY OVERVIEW The Inland Revenue Ordinance also provides for rules relating to transfer pricing adjustments. Section 20(2) of the Inland Revenue Ordinance provides that where a resident person conducts transactions with a ‘‘closely connected’’ non-resident person in such a way that if the profits arising in Hong Kong are less than the ordinary profits that might be expected to arise, the business performed by the non-resident person in pursuance of his or her connection with the resident person shall be deemed to be carried on in Hong Kong, and the non-resident person shall be assessable and chargeable with tax in respect of his or her profits from such business in the name of the resident person. Section 20A of the Inland Revenue Ordinance gives the Inland Revenue Department (the “IRD”) wide powers to collect tax due from non-residents. The IRD may also make transfer pricing adjustments by disallowing expenses incurred by the Hong Kong resident under sections 16(1), 17(1)(b) and 17(1)(c) of the Inland Revenue Ordinance and challenging the entire arrangement under general anti-avoidance provisions such as sections 61 and 61A of the Inland Revenue Ordinance. The Departmental Interpretation and Practice Notes No. 45 — Relief from Double Taxation due to Transfer Pricing or Profit Reallocation Adjustments issued by the IRD in April 2009 provides that where double taxation arises as a result of transfer pricing adjustments made by the tax authorities of another country, a Hong Kong taxpayer may potentially claim relief under the tax treaty between Hong Kong and that country. Labour, health and safety Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance Under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance (Chapter 509 of the Laws of Hong Kong), employers must, as far as reasonably practicable, ensure safe and healthy conditions in their workplaces by: • providing and maintaining plant and work systems that do not endanger safety or health; • making arrangement for ensuring safety and health in connection with the use, handling, storage or transport of plant or substances; • providing all necessary information, instruction, training, and supervision for ensuring safety and health; • providing and maintaining safe access to and egress from the workplaces; and • providing and maintaining a safe and healthy work environment. —75— THIS DOCUMENT IS IN DRAFT FORM, INCOMPLETE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND THE INFORMATION MUST BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SECTION HEADED “WARNING” ON THE COVER OF THIS DOCUMENT. REGULATORY OVERVIEW Employment Ordinance The Employment Ordinance (Chapter 57 of the Laws of Hong Kong) is an ordinance for, among others, the protection of the wages of employees and the regulation of the general conditions of employment and employment agencies in Hong Kong. The Employment Ordinance covers a comprehensive range of employment protection and benefits for employees including, among others, wage protection, paid annual leave, maternity protection, payment in lieu of notice and long service payment. Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance Under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (Chapter 485 of the Laws of Hong Kong), the employers shall participate in a Mandatory Provident Fund Scheme (the “MPF Scheme”) for employees employed under the jurisdiction of the Employment Ordinance (Chapter 57 of the Laws of Hong Kong). The MPF Scheme is a defined contribution retirement plan administered by independent trustees. Under the MPF Scheme, the employer and its employees are each required to make contributions to the plan at 5% of the employees’ relevant income, subject to a cap of monthly relevant income of HK$30,000. Contributions to the plan vest immediately. Employees’ Compensation Ordinance Under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance (Chapter 282 of the Laws of Hong Kong), all employers (including contractors and subcontractors) are required to take out insurance policies to cover their liabilities both under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance and at common law for injuries at work in respect of all their employees (comprising full-time and part-time employees). Minimum Wage Ordinance The current Minimum Wage Ordinance (Chapter 608 of the Laws of Hong Kong) provides for a prescribed minimum hourly wage rate (currently set at HK$34.5 per hour) during the wage period for every employee engaged under a contract of employment under the Employment Ordinance. Any provision of the employment contract which purports to extinguish or reduce the right, benefit or protection conferred on the employee by the Minimum Wage Ordinance is void. Intellectual property Registered Designs Ordinance and Registered Design Rules The Registered Designs Ordinance (Chapter 522 of the Laws of Hong Kong) is an ordinance to provide for registered design right and related matters. —76— THIS DOCUMENT IS IN DRAFT FORM, INCOMPLETE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND THE INFORMATION MUST BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SECTION HEADED “WARNING” ON THE COVER OF THIS DOCUMENT. REGULATORY OVERVIEW Design elements of a wide range of products such as the shape, configuration, pattern or ornament of an article can be registered as registered designs provided that they appeal to and can be judged by the eye in the finished article. In order to obtain protection as registered designs in Hong Kong, designs must be registered under the Registered Designs Ordinance and the Registered Designs Rules (Chapter 522A of the Laws of Hong Kong), a subsidiary legislation of the Registered Designs Ordinance. It is not a mandatory requirement to register a design in Hong Kong. The registration of a design under the Registered Designs Ordinance gives to the registered owner the exclusive right to the design in relation to the article for which the design is registered. The period of protection of a registered design is renewable for periods of five years, up to a maximum of 25 years in total. PRC REGULATORY OVERVIEW This section sets forth a summary of the general PRC laws and regulations applicable to our Group’s business in the PRC. Information contained in the following should not be constructed as a comprehensive summary of laws and regulations applicable to us. Wholly Foreign-owned Enterprise Under the Provisions Guiding Foreign Investment Direction (指導外商投資方向規定), which was promulgated by the State Council on 11 February 2002, the Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries (2017 Revision) (外商投資產業指導目錄) (2017年修訂) (the “Catalogue”), which was jointly promulgated by the National Development
Recommended publications
  • (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Carried Interest) Ordinance 2021 2021 年第 9 號條例 Ord
    《2021 年稅務 ( 修訂 ) ( 附帶權益的稅務寬減 ) 條例》 Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Carried Interest) Ordinance 2021 2021 年第 9 號條例 Ord. No. 9 of 2021 A182 A183 《2021 年稅務 ( 修訂 ) ( 附帶權益的稅務寬減 ) 條例》 Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions for Carried Interest) Ordinance 2021 目錄 Contents 條次 頁次 Section Page 1. 簡稱 ........................................................................................ A186 1. Short title ................................................................................ A187 2. 修訂《稅務條例》 ..................................................................... A186 2. Inland Revenue Ordinance amended ...................................... A187 3. 修訂第 2 條 ( 釋義 ) ................................................................ A188 3. Section 2 amended (interpretation) ......................................... A189 4. 修訂第 4 條 ( 公事保密 ) ......................................................... A188 4. Section 4 amended (official secrecy) ....................................... A189 5. 修訂經《2020 年稅務 ( 修訂 ) ( 與保險有關的業務的利 5. Section 19CA (as amended by section 7 of the Inland 得稅寬減) 條 例》(2020 年第15 號 ) 第 7 條修訂的第 Revenue (Amendment) (Profits Tax Concessions for 19CA 條 ( 根據第 19CAB 及 19CAC 條對未吸納虧損的 Insurance-related Businesses) Ordinance 2020 (15 of 處理:釋義 ) ........................................................................... A188 2020)) amended (treatment of unabsorbed losses under 6. 修訂第 20AN 條 ( 某些基金的某些利潤獲豁免繳付利得 sections 19CAB and 19CAC: interpretation) .......................... A189 稅 ) .........................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Guide to Shipping Register and Shipping Tax Regime in Hong Kong Contents
    Guide to Shipping Register and Shipping Tax Regime in Hong Kong Contents The Hong Kong Shipping Register 1 Taxation of Shipping Profits in Hong Kong 8 Schedule 12 The Hong Kong Shipping Register Until 3 December 1990, the United Kingdom Merchant Shipping Acts (the “Acts”) (except for the Merchant Shipping Act 1988) applied to registration of ships and to mortgages of ships in Hong Kong. A ship registered at the Port of Hong Kong was, therefore, a British ship. Hong Kong reverted to Chinese sovereignty on 1 July 1997 and became a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. Section VIII of Annex I to the Sino- British Joint Declaration which relates to the transfer of sovereignty states that: “The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall maintain Hong Kong’s previous systems of shipping management and shipping regulation, including the system for regulating conditions of seamen. The specific functions and responsibilities of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in the field of shipping shall be defined by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government on its own. Private shipping businesses and shipping-related businesses and private container terminals in Hong Kong may continue to operate freely. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region shall be authorised by the Central People’s Government to continue to maintain a shipping register and issue related certificates under its own legislation in the name of ‘Hong Kong, China’.” The Hong Kong Government appointed a Steering Committee in 1987 to advise the Government on the establishment of an independent shipping registry. The result was enacted as the Merchant Shipping (Registration) Ordinance (Cap 415) (the “Ordinance”), which came into effect on 3 December 1990.
    [Show full text]
  • Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance 2021 Contents
    《2021 年稅務 ( 修訂 ) ( 雜項條文 ) 條例》 Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance 2021 2021 年第 18 號條例 Ord. No. 18 of 2021 A2100 A2101 《2021 年稅務 ( 修訂 ) ( 雜項條文 ) 條例》 Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance 2021 目錄 Contents 條次 頁次 Section Page 第 1 部 Part 1 導言 Preliminary 1. 簡稱 ...................................................................................... A2108 1. Short title .............................................................................. A2109 2. 修訂《稅務條例》 ................................................................... A2110 2. Inland Revenue Ordinance amended .................................... A2111 第 2 部 Part 2 關乎合資格合併的修訂 Amendments relating to Qualifying Amalgamations 3. 加入第 6C 部 ........................................................................ A2112 3. Part 6C added ....................................................................... A2113 第 6C 部 Part 6C 合資格合併 Qualifying Amalgamations 40AE. 釋義 .................................................................... A2112 40AE. Interpretation ...................................................... A2113 40AF. 第 6C 部的適用範圍 ........................................... A2116 40AF. Application of Part 6C ....................................... A2117 40AG. 參與合併公司視為已停止經營某行業、專業 40AG. Amalgamating company treated as having 或業務 ................................................................. A2116 ceased to carry on trade, profession or 40AH. 參與合併公司的暫繳利得稅 .............................. A2116 business ..............................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Asia Pacific Tax Weekly Newsletter
    KPMG Asia Pacific Tax Weekly KPMG Asia Pacific Tax Centre | 8 April 2021 Asia Pacific Tax Developments Australia Guidance on claiming temporary full expensing and loss carryback The Australian Taxation Office issued guidance for businesses claiming temporary full expensing and loss carryback in their 2020-21 tax returns. New measures concerning casual employment; action steps for employers New measures in Australia amend existing employment legislation with regard to “casual employment.” No further extension of financial reporting deadlines (COVID-19) The Australian Securities and Investments Commission announced that it is not currently intending to extend the deadline for filing financial reports for balance dates after 7 January 2021. R&D tax incentive (Full Federal Court) The Full Federal Court in a case concerning the interpretation of section 8AAZN of the Taxation Administration Act 1953 (Cth) (TAA 1953) as to what constitutes an administrative overpayment held for the government in a case concerning a claim for research and development tax incentive. © 2021 Copyright owned by one or more of the KPMG International entities. KPMG International entities provide no services to clients. All rights reserved. 1 Synthesised text of income tax treaty with Indonesia The Australian Taxation Office released synthesised text of the multilateral instrument and Australia’s income tax treaty with Indonesia. Hong Kong (SAR), China Hong Kong extends profits tax concession for certain insurance businesses The enhanced tax concession came into effect on 19 March 2021, providing a concessionary tax rate of 8.25% on income for certain insurance-related businesses conducting business in Hong Kong provided certain thresholds are met.
    [Show full text]
  • Departmental Interpretation and Practice Notes No. 43 (Revised)
    Inland Revenue Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China DEPARTMENTAL INTERPRETATION AND PRACTICE NOTES NO. 43 (REVISED) PROFITS TAX PROFITS TAX EXEMPTION FOR OFFSHORE FUNDS These notes are issued for the information of taxpayers and their tax representatives. They contain the Department’s interpretation and practices in relation to the laws as it stood at the date of publication. Taxpayers are reminded that their right of objection against the assessment and their right of appeal to the Commissioner, the Board of Review or the Court are not affected by the application of these notes. These notes replace those issued in February 2010. WONG Kuen-fai Commissioner of Inland Revenue May 2016 Our web site : www.ird.gov.hk DEPARTMENTAL INTERPRETATION AND PRACTICE NOTES No. 43 (Revised) CONTENT Paragraph Introduction 1 Background Before the 2006 Ordinance 4 The 2006 Ordinance 6 The 2015 Ordinance 7 Resident person / Non-resident person 8 Individuals 9 Non-individual entities 12 Central management and control 13 Split year residence 21 The Exemption Provisions Exemption criteria 22 Scope of Exemption 23 Specified Transactions 24 Transaction in securities 26 Transaction in futures contracts 29 Transaction in foreign exchange contracts 32 Transaction consisting in the making of a deposit other than by 33 way of a money-lending business Transaction in foreign currencies 34 Transaction in exchange-traded commodities 35 Incidental transactions 36 Specified person 39 Loss from exempt
    [Show full text]
  • Inland Revenue Department 60Th Anniversary
    Miscellaneous Inland Revenue Department 60th Anniversary IRD celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2007–08. Let us go into the time tunnel to revisit the history of the Department in the past 60 years: Commissioners of Inland Revenue Name Duration Mr E W PUDNEY 1.1.1947 – 1.2.1951 Mr W F WATSON, O.B.E. 2.2.1951 – 26.5.1957 Mr W J DRYSDALE 1.4.1958 – 15.7.1963 Mr A D DUFFY, O.B.E. 16.7.1963 – 11.5.1972 Mr F E RAINBOW, O.B.E. 12.5.1972 – 26.1.1975 Mr R V GIDDY, C.B.E. (1979) 27.1.1975 – 19.9.1979 Mr V A LADD, C.B.E. 20.9.1979 – 31.7.1985 Mr Anthony AU-YEUNG FU, O.B.E. (1989), C.B.E. (1997), J.P. 1.8.1985 – 23.4.1996 Mr WONG Ho-sang, J.P. 24.4.1996 – 18.8.1999 Mrs LAU MAK Yee-ming, Alice, J.P. Since 1.3.2001 Revenue Collection and Cost of Collection IRD Revenue Collection ($m) 250,000 200,697 200,000 150,000 137,515 100,000 50,000 34,349 14 185 616 4,372 0 1947–48 1957–58 1967–68 1977–78 1987–88 1997–98 2007–08 Costs per 100 Dollars of Revenue $3.61 $1.97 $1.55 $1.24 $1.17 $0.81 $0.58 Inland Revenue Department Annual Report 2007–08 47 Inland Revenue Department 60th Anniversary IRD Departmental Grades Number and Ratio of Male and Female Staff 1,600 1,400 1,200 373:796 1,000 245:716 800 348:375 284:394 373:262 600 400 248:84 255 200 138 104:27 119:2 68:35 54:1 48:2 50 39:1 27:0 23:1 15:1 18:0 10:1 1:0 0 A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C A B C 1947–48 1957–58 1967–68 1977–78 1987–88 1997–98 2007–08 A : Assessor Grade B : Inspector Grade C : Taxation Officer Grade Sex Ratio (Male : Female) Non departmental grades are not included ¢ Male ¢ Female
    [Show full text]
  • Departmental Interpretation and Practice Notes No. 61 Profits Tax
    Inland Revenue Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China DEPARTMENTAL INTERPRETATION AND PRACTICE NOTES NO. 61 PROFITS TAX PROFITS TAX EXEMPTION FOR FUNDS These notes are issued for the information of taxpayers and their tax representatives. They contain the Department’s interpretation and practices in relation to the laws as it stood at the date of publication. Taxpayers are reminded that their right of objection against the assessment and their right of appeal to the Commissioner, the Board of Review or the Court are not affected by the application of these notes. WONG Kuen-fai Commissioner of Inland Revenue June 2020 Our web site : www.ird.gov.hk DEPARTMENTAL INTERPRETATION AND PRACTICE NOTES No. 61 CONTENT Paragraph Introduction Public and private funds 1 Fund domiciliation 4 Transfers of interests in funds 6 Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act 7 Common Reporting Standard 11 Transfer pricing 14 Tax Regimes Relating to Funds Fund regime (on or after 1 April 2019) 16 Offshore fund regime (up to 31 March 2019) 19 Offshore private equity fund regime (up to 31 March 2019) 23 Open-ended fund company regime (from 30 July 2018 to 31 March 2019) 24 Co-investment partner funds under ITVF Scheme 27 Fund Regime Legal framework 29 Commencement date 32 What Fund Means Meaning of fund – Encompassed concepts 35 – Arrangement in respect of property 36 – Managed as a whole requirement 38 – Pooling requirement 42 – Separate pools of assets and different classes of interests 46 – No day-to-day
    [Show full text]
  • Legislative Council Brief
    File Reference: ENB CR 1/3231/19 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BRIEF Inland Revenue Ordinance (Chapter 112) Business Registration Ordinance (Chapter 310) EXEMPTION FROM PROFITS TAX (FEED-IN TARIFF SCHEME) ORDER BUSINESS REGISTRATION (AMENDMENT) REGULATION 2019 INTRODUCTION Pursuant to the Government’s policy to promote renewable energy (“RE”) in Hong Kong, we encourage individuals to install RE systems at their residential premises under the Feed-in Tariff (“FiT”) Scheme and would simplify the relevant procedures as far as possible in order to facilitate their participation. In this connection, we are putting forward legislative amendments to exempt these individuals from relevant business registration requirements and taxation obligations. 2. At the meeting of the Executive Council on 10 December 2019, the Council ADVISED and the Chief Executive ORDERED that the Exemption from Profits Tax (Feed-in Tariff Scheme) Order (“the Exemption Order”), at Annex A, should be made by the Chief Executive in Council (“CE-in-C”) pursuant to section 87 of the Inland Revenue Ordinance (“IRO”); and the Business Registration (Amendment) Regulation 2019 (“the Amendment Regulation”), at Annex B, should be made by the Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (SFST) pursuant to section 14(1A)(g) of the Business Registration Ordinance (“BRO”) to exempt individuals who install RE systems at their residential premises from – (a) the payment of profits tax in respect of their income derived from selling electricity generated by such systems to the relevant power companies under the FiT Scheme; and (b) the provisions of the BRO in respect of their FiT businesses. JUSTIFICATIONS The FiT Scheme 3. The FiT Scheme is a strong financial incentive for private investment in RE because the power generated can be sold to the power companies at rates1 higher than the normal electricity tariff rate, which can help recover the costs of investment, operation and maintenance in around 10 years2.
    [Show full text]
  • Proposals to Extend Offshore Private Equity Fund Tax Exemption to Hong Kong Businesses
    FSDC Paper No. 32 Proposals to Extend Offshore Private Equity Fund Tax Exemption to Hong Kong Businesses July 2017 Index Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... 1 I. Background ............................................................................................................... 4 II. Limitations of the Current Rules on Offshore PE Fund Exemption ......................... 8 Expansion of the offshore fund exemption to non-Hong Kong PE investment ...... 10 Restriction on investment into Hong Kong private companies .............................. 11 Restrictions on SPV functionality ........................................................................... 13 Considerations for expanding the offshore fund exemption to investment in Hong Kong businesses ...................................................................................................... 14 III. Recommendations / Proposals ............................................................................... 17 Excepted private company (“EPC”) – call for an expanded definition .................. 17 Special purpose vehicle – call for an expanded definition ...................................... 19 Tainting – call for a relaxation ................................................................................ 20 Anti-tax avoidance .................................................................................................. 21 Other comments / considerations ...........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Summary of Taxation in Hong Kong
    SUMMARY OF TAXATION IN Ms. Karen Kaur HONG KONG 1 Contents Preface 03 Overview of 04 Hong Kong Taxation Main Taxes •Profits Tax •Salaries Tax •Property Tax•Stamp Duty •Custom Duty 05 Main Tax Issues • Holder of Provisional Tax •llegal Declaring Dutiable Goods and Its Penalty 17 •Advance Ruling •Personal Assessment Cross Border Tax Issues • Avoidance of Double Taxation •Offshore Claim •International Tax on Inbound Investment 20 •International Tax on Outbound Investment Taxation’s Service Scope 21 Contact Us 24 2 Preface The Journal is formulated on the basis of Hong Kong’s current tax legislation, public in- formation of HKIRD, and tax relief measures for 2019/2020 Hong Kong Budget. We hope the Journal will help investors under- stand more about Hong Kong’s tax environ- ment of “simplicity and low tax rate”, so that they can expand their business by taking ad- vantage of the Hong Kong platform. As a summary, the Journal explains the tax legislation of Hong Kong only in an extensive manner. For detailed information and consul- tation, please contact us. 3 Overview of Hong Kong Taxation Hong Kong is acclaimed for low tax rates and few tax types. At present, its taxes, only include profits tax, salaries tax, property tax, stamp duty, and customs duty (applicable to a few commodity categories).The current Inland Revenue Ordinance of Hong Kong is under heavy influence of the UK Legal System. Ever since its first promulgation in 1947, Censorship Review Com- mittee had been established for many times, desiring to reform Hong Kong taxation. As of today, Hong Kong taxation, however, has not been adjusted on a large scale.
    [Show full text]
  • Hong Kong Profits Tax's Chargeability Is Determined According to The
    Answer-to-Question-_1_ (1) Hong Kong profits tax’s chargeability is determined according to the Inland Revenue Ordinance (“IRO”), where section 14(1) states that a person carrying on trade, business or profession in Hong Kong is chargeable to profits tax for the profits derived from or arisen in Hong Kong (excluding capital gains). Based on the facts given, Muffin HK Ltd (MHKL) was incorporated in Hong Kong and it carries on a business in distributing dairy products in both Hong Kong and mainland China. As such, it is considered “carrying on trade/business in Hong Kong”, satisfying the first condition of section 14(1) of the IRO. To determine the locality of the sales income, the Inland Revenue Department (“IRD”) of Hong Kong uses the “contract effected test” as guided by DIPN No 21 (Revised) for sales profits being a kind of trading profits. No apportionment is allowed. In the simplest understanding, if either one of an entity’s contract of purchase or contract of sales is effected in Hong Kong, the relevant sales profits will be fully subject to Hong Kong profits tax. It is worth noting that in MHKL’s case, its related PRC-incorporated company Ready China Ltd (RCL) is responsible for attracting business and negotiating with customers in mainland China on MHKL’s behalf. Therefore, MHKL’s contracts of sales to customers in mainland China are in fact effected outside Hong Kong (i.e. in mainland China). Then we have to consider the contracts of purchase as well. As given, MHKL purchases products from Japanese and Korean suppliers.
    [Show full text]
  • Legislative Council Brief
    File Ref: FIN CR 1/10/2041/46 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BRIEF Inland Revenue Ordinance (Chapter 112) INLAND REVENUE (DOUBLE TAXATION RELIEF AND PREVENTION OF FISCAL EVASION WITH RESPECT TO TAXES ON INCOME AND CAPITAL GAINS) (UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND) ORDER INTRODUCTION At the meeting of the Executive Council on 28 September 2010, the Council ADVISED and the Chief Executive ORDERED that the Inland Revenue (Double Taxation Relief and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and Capital Gains) (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) Order (“the Order”), at A Annex A, should be made under section 49(1A) of the Inland Revenue Ordinance, Cap. 112 (“the Ordinance”). The Order implements the Agreement between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“HKSAR”) and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (“the UK”) for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital Gains signed on 21 June 2010 (“the UK Agreement”). JUSTIFICATIONS Benefits of Comprehensive Agreements for Avoidance of Double Taxation 2. Double taxation refers to the imposition of comparable taxes in more than one tax jurisdiction in respect of the same source of income. The international community generally recognises that double taxation hinders the exchange of goods and services, movements of capital, technology and human resources, and poses an obstacle to the development of economic relations between economies. As a business facilitation initiative, it is our policy to enter into Comprehensive Agreements for Avoidance of Double Taxation (“CDTAs”) with our trading and investment partners so as to minimise double taxation.
    [Show full text]