北京国税局明确QFII和RQFII所得税清理工作[中英双语]

北京国税局明确QFII和RQFII所得税清理工作

BeijingMunicipal Office, SAT Clarifies the Work of Levying the Income Tax of QFIIs andRQFIIs

作者: 通力律师事务所  俞佳琦  邱迪

By ElvaYu and Tracy Qiu from LLINKS LAW OFFICES

2014年10月31日, 财政部、国家税务总局和证监会颁布了《关于QFII和RQFII取得中国境内的股票等权益性投资资产转让所得暂免征收企业所得税问题的通知》(财税[2014]79号, 以下简称“79号文”), 其中规定从2014年11月17日起, QFII、RQFII取得来源于中国境内的股票等权益性投资资产转让所得, 暂免征收企业所得税;在2014年11月17日之前QFII和RQFII取得的上述所得应依法征收企业所得税。2015年2月, 北京市国家税务局在中国证券投资基金业协会举办的相关会议(以下简称“北京会议”)上详细提出了QFII、RQFII的所得税清理工作方案(以下简称“专项清理工作”), 内容包括税务清理的所得税范围、时间要求、税款计算的口径、滞纳金的征收与否、资料准备、税收协定待遇的申请、主管税局及税务机关的工作步骤安排等。

TheMinistry of Finance, the State Administration of Taxation and the ChinaSecurities Regulatory Commission promulgated <Notice on Temporarily WaivingEnterprise Income Tax on the Incomes Obtained by QFIIs and RQFIIs fromTransferring Stocks and Other Equity Investment Assets within Mainland China> (Cai Shui[2014] No. 79) (the “No.79 Document”)on October 31, 2014, which stated that qualifiedforeign institutional investors (the “QFII”)and RMB qualified foreign institutional investors (the “RQFII”) shall be temporarily exempted from enterprise income tax onthe incomes derived from transferring stocks and other equity investment assetswithin Mainland China from November 17, 2014. Such incomes obtained by QFIIsand RQFIIs before November 17, 2014 shall be subject to enterprise income taxin accordance with the law. The Beijing Municipal Office, SAT mapped out thedetails of the work plan (the “Special LevyProgram”) for the work of levying the income tax of QFIIs andRQFIIs on the related conference (the “BeijingConference”) held by Asset Management Association of China in February,2015. The contents of the conference include: the scope of the levy work of theincome tax, the time requirement, the computation of the tax payable, the levyon the overdue fine, the preparation of the materials, the application for thetreatment under tax treaties and the work plan arrangement of the competent taxbureau and authority, etc.

一、QFII和RQFII所得税征收的基本情况介绍

1.        The introduction of the basic information of the levy on QFIIs andRQFIIs income tax

《中华人民共和国企业所得税法》将企业所得税纳税人分为“居民企业”和“非居民企业”[1]。一般而言,QFII、RQFII在中国企业所得税法下属于在中国境内未设立机构、场所的非居民企业,这主要是因为受限于相关法律法规对QFII、RQFII投资范围的限制,QFII、RQFII在境内主要从事证券二级市场投资, 因此QFII、RQFII实践中无需设立相关场所从事实际经营活动,其仅需依法委托中国的有关托管银行担任资产托管人, 委托中国的证券公司代理证券交易业务。对托管银行和证券公司而言,受托担任资产托管人和代理证券交易业务, 亦属于托管银行和证券公司的惯常经营业务。因而,托管银行和证券公司不构成QFII或者境外投资者的非独立代理人。

The Law of the People’s Republic of China on Enterprise Income Taxclassifies the payers of enterprise income tax into resident enterprises andnon-resident enterprises.1 In general,QFIIs and RQFIIs shall be clarified as non-resident enterprises which have notestablished agencies or offices in Mainland China under the Law of the People’sRepublic of China on Enterprise Income Tax, which is due to the limitations setby the relevant laws and regulations that restrict the investment scope ofQFIIs and RQFIIs to the investments in the securities secondary market inmainland China. Therefore, in practice, QFIIs and RQFIIs do not have toestablish offices to do businesses, they can entrust relevant domesticcustodian banks as the asset trustees as well as domestic securities firms tohandle the domestic securities transaction in accordance to the law. Forcustodian banks and securities firms, being entrusted as the asset trustees andthe agency to handle the domestic securities transaction is part of their usualbusiness. Therefore, custodian banks and securities firms shall not be deemedas the dependent agents of QFIIs and foreign investors.

另外, 值得注意的是79号文直接明确了该文所述及的暂免征收所得税的政策适用于在中国境内未设立机构、场所, 或者在中国境内虽设立机构、场所, 但取得的上述所得与其所设机构、场所没有实际联系的QFII和RQFII。

In addition, itis worth noting that No.79 Document directly clarifies that the exemption onlyapplies to QFIIs and RQFIIs that have not set up any agencies, offices inMainland China, or that only have agencies or offices in Mainland China whichare not in effective relation to the aforesaid incomes obtained.

(1)      QFII和RQFII所得税的计算依据

(1)      The basis for the computation of QFIIs and RQFIIs Income Tax

QFII、RQFII的所得主要包括了权益性投资收益(一般为股息、红利)和资本利得,其中关于QFII、RQFII股息、红利所得税问题,《国家税务总局关于中国居民企业向QFII支付股息、红利、利息代扣代缴企业所得税有关问题的通知》(国税函[2009]47号)中进一步明确了QFII取得来源于中国境内的股息、红利和利息收入,应当按照企业所得税法规定缴纳10%的企业所得税。而关于资本利得部分,在79号文颁布和本次专项清理工作开展之前, 由于相关税收规定及政策的不明确, 实践中尚未普遍征收QFII、RQFII资本利得税[2]。

The incomes of QFIIs and RQFIIs mainly include incomes on equityinvestment (generally as dividends and bonuses) and capital gains. For theincome tax on the dividends and bonuses of QFIIs and RQFIIs, the Notice of theState Administration of Taxation on Relevant Issues Regarding the Withholdingof Enterprise Income Tax on Dividends, Bonuses and Interests Paid by ChineseResident Enterprises to QFII (Guo Shui Han [2009] No.47) further clarifies thatincomes such as dividends, bonuses and interests obtained by QFII that aresourced from Mainland China shall pay the enterprise income tax at a rate of10% in accordance with The Law of the People’s Republic of China on EnterpriseIncome Tax. For the capital gains, since the relevant tax regulations andpolicies are ambiguous before the promulgation of the No.79 Document and launchof this Special Levy Program, QFIIs and RQFIIs have not been levied on capitalgains tax in practice.2

(2)      税收协定优惠的适用

(2)      The application of Tax treaties preferences

QFII、RQFII作为非居民企业,其可以根据国家税务总局于2009年颁布了《非居民享受税收协定待遇管理办法(试行)》享受税收协定待遇。另外, 《国家税务总局关于中国居民企业向QFII支付股息、红利、利息代扣代缴企业所得税有关问题的通知》中亦提及QFII取得股息、红利和利息收入,需要享受税收协定(安排)待遇的,可向主管税务机关提出申请, 主管税务机关审核无误后按照税收协定的规定执行;涉及退税的, 应及时予以办理。

QFIIs andRQFIIs, as non-resident enterprises, can enjoy treatment under tax treatiesaccording to Measures for the Administration of Non-Residents’ Claim for Treatunder the Tax Treaties (Trial) promulgated by the State Administration ofTaxation. Furthermore, the Notice of the State Administration of Taxation onRelevant Issues Regarding the Withholding of Enterprise Income Tax onDividends, Bonuses and Interests Paid by Chinese Resident Enterprises to QFIIalso states that any QFII obtaining incomes such as dividends, bonuses andinterests that needs to enjoy the treatment under tax treaties may file anapplication to the competent tax bureau, the competent tax bureau shallimplement the arrangement in accordance with the provisions of the tax treatiesupon examining and verifying the application to be valid; the competent taxbureau shall promptly handle it if tax rebates are required.

二、本次专项清理工作介绍

2.        The introduction of this Special Levy Program

根据北京会议介绍,本次专项清理工作追征税款的时间范围为2009年11月17日至2014年11月16日。负责本次QFII、RQFII涉税情况专项清理工作的为北京、上海和深圳三地国税局,对于具体QFII、RQFII而言,主管税务机关为其境内托管银行开户行所在地区县国税局。

Asstated on the Beijing Conference, the time range for the levy of the tax isfrom November 17, 2009 to November 16, 2014. The authorities that in charge ofthis Special Levy Program related to QFIIs and RQFIIsare municipal offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, SAT. For relevantQFIIs and RQFIIs, the competent tax bureaus are the district local SAT wheretheir domestic custodian banks are located.

(1)         专项清理范围

(1)         The scope of the levy work

本次专项清理工作的清理范围包括QFII、RQFII尚未能被代扣代缴所得税的股息、利息以及权益性投资资产转让所得(主要包括A/B股股票(股权),基金, 权证, 股指期货等。), 值得注意的是, 转让纯债型投资资产的(包括转让债券和转让仅投资债券的证券投资基金的基金份额),不在本次清理范围内, 转让可转债的, 仅就转股后的转让部分按照转让权益性投资资产处理。已清算或已注销的QFII、RQFII不在清理范围内。

The scope of this Special Levy Program coversthe dividends and interests, the enterprise income tax of which have not beenwithheld, and gains derived from transferring of equity investment assets(mainlyinclude A/B share stock(stock equity), fund, warrant, stock index futures, etc.).It is worth noting that the transfer of pure-debt investment assets (includingthe transfer of bonds and units of the securities investment funds that investin bonds) is not within the scope of the levy work, and for the transfer ofconvertible bonds, only the shares after the conversion shall be deemed asequity investment assets. QFIIs and RQFIIs that havealready been liquidated or nullified are not within the scope of the levy work.

(2)         清理方式

(2)         The way of the levy work

• 滞纳金:对于股息、利息所得征收的税款中QFII、RQFII应缴纳但代扣代缴义务人未缴的部分加征滞纳金。对于权益性投资资产转让所得征收的税款不加收滞纳金。

• Overdue fine: with regard to the dividends and interests, theenterprise income tax of which has not been withheld,overdue fine will be applied. With regard to tax payable derived from thetransfer of equity investment assets, overdue fine will not be applied.

• 税款计算:股息、利息和权益性投资资产转让所得均不能扣除费用。权益性投资资产转让所得以每次交易收益为应纳税所得额,按次适用10%税率并计算应征税款, 并且不可多笔交易盈亏相抵。

• Computationof the tax payable: dividends and interests andincomes derived from transferring of equity investment assets shall notbe subject to the deduction of costs. With regard to incomesderived from transferring of equity investment assets, taxable incomeshall be deemed as earnings from each transaction, with the tax rates of 10%,and profits and losses in one transaction cannot be offset with those inanother transaction.

• 税收协定:本次北京会议中就税收协定待遇的享受主体进行了进一步明确, 对于权益性投资所得,将根据QFII、RQFII自身设立所在地(而非其基金管理人所在地)判断其是否可享受税收协定待遇。QFII、RQFII提出享受税收协定待遇的,应按照《非居民享受税收协定待遇管理办法(试行)》等有关规定进行备案或审批。

• Taxtreaties: this Beijing Conference further clarifies the subject that can enjoytreatment under tax treaties. With regard to income derived from equityinvestment, the place where QFIIs and RQFIIs areregistered (not where their fund managers are located) shall be considered tojudge whether the relevant tax treaties can be enjoyed or not. If QFIIs and RQFIIs apply to enjoy treatment undertax treaties, they shall finish filing and approval procedures in accordancewith Measures for the Administration of Non-Residents’Claim for Treat under the Tax Treaties (Trial) and other regulations.

值得注意的是, 会议提及, 北京市国税局不再就此次专项清理工作方案另行颁布文件。清理范围、税款的追溯期、滞纳金、税款计算和税收协定待遇等问题是经国税总局认定达成共识的内容,但对于申报的具体要求以及其他实务操作中的具体问题, 建议QFII、RQFII等机构及时与各自的主管税务机关沟通明确。

It is worth noting that, according to theconference, the Beijing Municipal Office, SAT will not separately promulgateother documents in terms of this Special Levy Program. The scope of the levywork, the retroactive period of the tax payable, overdue fine, the computationof the tax payable and treatment under tax treaties have been reached aconsensus with the State Administration of Taxation. However,for the specific requirements of the filing procedures and other problems inpractical operation, it is advisable for QFIIs and RQFIIs and otherinstitutions to contact their competent local tax bureaus promptly.

[1]“非居民企业”包括: 1) 依照外国(地区)法律成立且实际管理机构不在中国境内, 但在中国境内设立机构、场所的,或者2)在中国境内未设立机构、场所, 但有来源于中国境内所得的企业。

[1] “Non-resident” include: 1)enterprises which are establishedaccording to the law of a foreign country (region) and whose actual managementbody is not in Mainland China, but which have established agencies or officesin Mainland China, or 2) enterprises which have not established agencies oroffices in Mainland China but have income earned in Mainland China.

[2]市场公布的仅2010年年末雷曼兄弟从中国撤资时被北京市国家税务局征收资本利得税一例。载于中国税务报//www.ctaxnews.net.cn/html/2011-01/07/nw.D340100zgswb_20110107_4-02.htm。

[2]Theonly example published is that when Lehman Brother withdraw capital fromMainland in late 2010, Beijing Municipal Office, SAT levied on its capitalgains. More details can be found from the website of //www.ctaxnews.net.cn/html/2011-01/07/nw.D340100zgswb_20110107_4-02.htm.