Convenience emphasized in Olympics-related tax services

China's tax authorities will provide innovative and convenient services to taxpayers during the upcoming Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, officials said on Friday.

Measures are being taken by the local tax authorities in Beijing and Hebei province to benefit five groups of taxpayers, including the International Olympic Committee, the Beijing 2022 organizing committee, operators of venues, sponsors and broadcasting service providers. The preferential tax policies are related to value-added and individual income taxes, said Zhang Youqian, head of the Beijing Tax Bureau.

Tax refund services for the 2022 Winter Olympics will be provided online, without registration procedures, filing or physical contact, according to Zhang.

"We will continue to simplify the review procedures of external payments and the individual income tax exemption for foreigners. Some special services have been offered for providing tax payment certificates to foreigners involved in the Winter Games," he added.

The State Taxation Administration, jointly with the Ministry of Finance and the General Administration of Customs, issued two batches of tax policies in 2017 and 2019 related to the Winter Games. The policies involve value-added tax, consumption tax, corporate income tax, individual income tax, land value-added tax, stamp tax, and resource tax, officials from the STA said.

Xie Wen, head of the STA's Goods and Services Tax Department, said more measures will be adopted to ensure timely tax refunds through both online and offline services. Tax authorities will cooperate with the nation's treasury department to refund taxes before taxpayers leave the country.