IMF Working Papers

China: How Can Revenue Reforms Contribute to Inclusive and Sustainable Growth?

By Waikei R Lam, Philippe Wingender

March 24, 2015

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Waikei R Lam, and Philippe Wingender. China: How Can Revenue Reforms Contribute to Inclusive and Sustainable Growth?, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2015) accessed September 18, 2024
Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary

Revenue reforms can contribute to more inclusive, green, and sustainable growth in China. Relative to OECD economies, fiscal policy in China is less redistributive. Options for promoting more inclusive growth include improving the progressivity of labor taxes (individual income tax and social security contributions), introducing a recurrent property tax, and finishing the transition to a comprehensive value-added tax. Higher environmental taxes, meanwhile, would promote more environment-friendly economy. These reforms could also significantly boost revenue, potentially by as much as 6½ percent of GDP. Such increases in revenue could help reduce the deficit, finance priority social and infrastructure spending, and offset cuts in other taxes. We illustrate how these revenue reforms could be part of a comprehensive fiscal package that achieves the needed consolidation in the (augmented) deficit and foster higher quality growth.

Subject: Fiscal policy, Income, Income and capital gains taxes, National accounts, Revenue administration, Social security contributions, Taxes

Keywords: Asia and Pacific, Business operation tax, China, Fiscal Policy, Global, Government debt, Income, Income and capital gains taxes, Reform, Reform policy, Revenue, Revenue objective, Revenue reform, Social security, Social security contribution rate, Social security contributions, Spending responsibility, Tax reforms, Tax revenue, Tax schedule, Tax sharing, WP

Publication Details

  • Pages:

    30

  • Volume:

    ---

  • DOI:

    ---

  • Issue:

    ---

  • Series:

    Working Paper No. 2015/066

  • Stock No:

    WPIEA2015066

  • ISBN:

    9781475531138

  • ISSN:

    1018-5941