61 h. ago China targets wealthy influencers with audits, fines as fiscal pressures rise

China has ramped up audits involving online influencers and high-wage earners, as part of broader efforts to expand tax revenue and refine the taxation system. The State Taxation Administration on Wednesday spotlighted two fresh cases involving influencers in the centrally administered city of Chongqing and in Gansu province. In Chongqing, authorities ordered an influencer surnamed Peng – who has 30 million followers and works in online video production and commercial advertising – to pay 4.15...

Events

1 week ago Li Qiang and Lee Jae Myung back free trade and multilateralism during Beijing talks

Premier Li Qiang called for multilateralism and free trade in his meeting with visiting South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Tuesday and said China would promote cooperation in emerging fields such as high-end manufacturing, new energy and artificial intelligence (AI). Li said China aimed to expand “the breadth and depth of cooperation” to achieve more practical outcomes and was willing to expand market access and integration, according to Beijing’s account of the meeting. “We stand ready to...

Politics

1 week ago Shenzhen poised for bigger role in world robotics arena as firms vow to boost output

Shenzhen is positioning itself for a bigger role in the global robotics arena after the city’s tech firms pledged to accelerate the roll-out of humanoid robots in line with Premier Li Qiang’s call to bolster industrial adoption of the technology. Li, during his trip to China’s southern tech hub, urged enterprises in emerging technologies – including robotics and drones – to speed up new iterations and upgrades so that more industries and households could benefit, according to Xinhua news...

Politics

1 week ago Li Qiang calls for bold actions to lift Guangdong economy amid rising challenges

Li Qiang calls for bold actions to lift Guangdong economy amid rising challenges  South China Morning Post

Politics

1 week ago Hong Kong McDonald’s serves up 3% pay rise for some staff amid menu price increase

Some restaurant management staff at McDonald’s in Hong Kong have been given an average pay rise of 3 per cent, the fast-food chain said on Monday, as it also announced price increases for some menu items. The pay rise took effect on January 1, with employees showing excellent performance eligible for increases of up to 5 per cent. The fast-food chain also said that 12,000 of its frontline and office staff have each received a HK$500 (US$64) red packet, partly in celebration of the franchise’s...

Economics

3 w. ago Hard work and long hours fuelled China’s rise. Now, it mulls the benefits of longer breaks

Whether in China’s urban centres or its remote rural areas, Christmas is not typically celebrated with the fanfare seen in the West. On the mainland, December 25 is not even a public holiday, with the lion’s share of enthusiasm reserved for the traditional Lunar New Year period beginning in January or February. Zhang Li, who lives in a pastoral section of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region in the country’s north, was no exception. But this year things have changed, thanks in part to a new...

Politics