OPINION> Commentary
Pop stars must pay tax in time
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-11-28 07:46

Tax authorities should address the issue of tax evasion by entertainers and find ways to tackle it, says an article in Beijing Evening Post. The following is an excerpt:

Twelve concerts by singers such as Chow Wah Kin, Zhang Liangying and Kylie Minogue will kick off by the end of this year in Beijing. According to reports, Beijing staged 320 shows in October alone, equivalent to 11 shows per day.

These entertainers should voluntarily pay taxes and tax authorities should also take the initiative to collect taxes from them. Some entertainers have tried every means to evade taxes due to their mobility. If the tax staff does not collect the taxes in time, it would cause great losses for the country's coffers.

The Taiwan tax authorities reportedly have kept a close eye on the tax issue of entertainment studios and served notices to over 100 entertainers there asking them to pay unpaid taxes.

Meanwhile, tax authorities should make public the information about tax payments by entertainers.

Netizens can be encouraged to monitor their tax payments, too. It is necessary to create a website specially designed to monitor tax payments by entertainers, prompting them to fulfill their obligation of paying taxes.

(China Daily 11/28/2008 page10)