China to strengthen tax administration on celebrities, livestreamers

The State Taxation Administration on Saturday issued a notice strengthening tax administration of practitioners in the entertainment industry.

The notice said it will conduct tax inspections randomly on celebrities and livestreamers and will reveal the results to the public in a timely manner. The aim is to intensify the deterrence and exposure of typical tax evasion cases in the entertainment sector in accordance with laws and regulations.

The administration will guide the personal studios and enterprises set up by celebrities and livestreamers to establish an accounting system in accordance with laws and regulations.

Celebrities and livestreamers with suspected tax evasion risks will be given one-to-one risk warnings and urged to rectify as soon as possible.

Those who can voluntarily report and promptly correct tax-related issues before the end of 2021 can be given a lighter, mitigated, or exempted punishment in accordance with the law.

For those who refuse to cooperate with the investigation and rectification work, the industry competent department and industry association shall be asked to assist in the supervision and correction. If the circumstances are serious, they shall be investigated, and illegal acts dealt with strictly, according to the notice.

The notice also said it is necessary to effectively standardize the management of tax-related incentives in the entertainment field, and tax authorities at all levels shall not implement tax incentives that are set up illegally or implemented in a flexible way.

Tax law education and guidance shall be further improved for practitioners in the entertainment industry such as celebrities and livestreamers, and their brokerage companies and agents, the notice added.