Forums > Living in Kunming > Filing 2014 Taxes @Alien: the Chinese system
Geezer said he was repeatedly told that the Chinese tax system is so complex that no foreigner could ever try to understand it.
The laws on the books are probably a lot less complex than the US system, but a lot of the terms are poorly defined, and enforcement is extremely arbitrary.
Most, if not all companies cook their books in very complicated ways to avoid taxes (whereas US companies cook the laws themselves). It's so rampant that tax liaison officers get in on the game, because a couple of honest tax reports in their case files can make all the numbers start to look anomalous.
For another example, anyone in China who earns more than 120,000 a year is supposed to fill out a personal tax return, but I have yet to meet anyone who has done it.
Another example: Most CCTV employees are only officially paid salaries just under the threshold for payroll taxes (around 2000 a month). They make up the rest of their salary (sometimes tens of thousands a month) by collecting as many fapiaos as they can, which CCTV reports as expenses and doesn't have to pay payroll or profit taxes on.
Forums > Living in Kunming > Genuine Thinkpad parts in Kunming? Lenovo has several official service centers in Kunming. Here's the page that allows you to look them up on a map:
support1.lenovo.com.cn/[...]
Looks like there's a Thinkpad service center near Xiao Cai Yuan interchange.
Alternatively, you can talk to one of the official Lenovo dealers in the computer markets. They should be able to order parts for you as well.
Forums > Living in Kunming > Filing 2014 Taxes @Geezer: thanks for the sources.
As a small business owner who has also worked in various companies in China over the years, my impression is that it's not the rules that are a confusing mess, but the way everybody behaves and is expected to behave within the system.
Forums > Living in Kunming > Americans: what do you do about health insurance To clarify, Chinese hospitals generally do not accept US insurance cards when it's time to cough up the cash, but most insurance plans will reimburse you after the fact.
Forums > Living in Kunming > Filing 2014 Taxes @Geezer: That article was hotly debated by a lot of people. Here's a good summary of the other side:
www.taxanalysts.com/[...]
Dali Bar begins free community e-waste recycling program
Posted byI was wondering about the alkaline batteries too. They recently removed all the trash cans with battery receptacles in my neighborhood. Based on the statement Dan quoted, sounds like they simply gave up. They were probably just dumping them in the landfill anyway.
Interview: Tracking Kunming's trash with Adam Liebman
Posted by"A more serious picker who spends most of the day searching for scrap could make more than ten yuan per day"
This is why, when I'm doing spring cleaning or otherwise getting rid of a lot of scrap, I just give it to them for free. My neighbors think I'm crazy.
AlexKMG: It's probably included in your wuguan fee. A lot of neighborhoods don't bother giving residents an itemized list, but if you ever see one, you'll see it's divvied up into things like grounds maintenance, elevator inspection fee, security, waste removal and whatnot.
Kunming police begin drive to register e-bikes citywide
Posted by@Anonymous Coward:
Of course it makes perfect sense that the city is mobilizing the entire paichusuo network and encouraging a few million people to register their bikes just so they can keep tabs on your visa situation. It's not like they don't already have that information sitting in a file at your neighborhood paichusuo where you have to register...
Kunming police begin drive to register e-bikes citywide
Posted byAccording to the linked article, you don't need an official Fapiao to register. The Fapiao is only used to establish that the bike is new and eligible for the higher theft payout.
This is an improvement from the original registration drive, where the bike couldn't be registered without a whole bunch of paperwork, most of which the dealers weren't providing.
Popular night market locations closed, ban appears permanent
Posted byAs for Alien's comment, I was told that this raid was directed by the city government, while previous enforcement was done on the district level.
This next part is speculation, but I bet someone is in hot water right now for taking money to look the other way. All the vendors on Wenhuaxiang used to pay each night for their slots, and I'm pretty sure a large cut of that went upstairs somewhere, probably to the district chengguan.