China to eliminate random official fees for firms within six months

BEIJING - The Chinese government will eliminate random government fees for firms within six months in the latest efforts to reduce enterprises' burdens and boost market vitality.

The campaign will target administrative fees and government funds that force enterprises to pay for approval, market supervision and entry, and guild membership, a statement released after an executive meeting of the State Council presided over by Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday.

China scrapped more than 600 enterprise-related fees last year and vowed to continue to conduct structural tax reductions and reduce fees across the board this year.

The government will inspect the effects of fee reductions made last year to make sure all the reforms are implemented timely and efficiently, especially those targeting small businesses, the service sector, government-subsidized housing and college graduates.

Unapproved, unlawful and inefficient government funds will all be scrapped and redundant ones will be integrated. Meanwhile, no unauthorized fee rises or coverage expansion is allowed and over-charged services should lower their fees, the statement said.

Intermediary services for profit-making purposes such as conditional guild membership or forced sponsorship will also be eliminated.

The government will announce a list of legal fees to the public after the campaign and no unmentioned fees should be charged. The government also called for the public to report illegal fee charging behaviors.