China has expanded its instant VAT refund scheme for foreign tourists, allowing refunds at the point of sale and simplifying customs checks. From 1 July 2026, customs will conduct random inspections for claims below CNY 10,000, while tourists must validate claims within 28 days of purchase. The reforms aim to boost inbound tourism and consumer spending.
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VatCalc · 2 months ago
China’s new VAT Law took effect on 1 January 2026, prompting a series of administrative releases that align preferential regimes, customs treatment, and reporting obligations. The guidance tightens SME VAT incentives, extends cross‑border e‑commerce import VAT exemptions until 2027, and introduces new import VAT incentives for strategic sectors that run until 2030. Multinational groups should review compliance and documentation to meet the updated thresholds and reporting requirements.
China Briefing · 2 months ago
China’s new VAT Law took effect on 1 January 2026, prompting a coordinated overhaul of preferential policies and administrative rules. Import tax incentives for sectors such as pharmaceuticals, R&D, and energy were extended through 2030, while the Hainan Free Trade Port launched a zero‑tariff resident consumption regime. The State Taxation Administration also clarified SME income‑splitting rules, tightening compliance for small‑scale taxpayers.
PV Tech · 3 months ago
China has removed the 9% export VAT rebate on PV modules, marking a shift from price‑led subsidies to value‑based competition. The change is expected to raise costs for manufacturers and influence module pricing across markets. The policy reflects industry maturity and a focus on quality, efficiency, and long‑term bankability.
Jiemian · 3 months ago
China's Ministry of Finance announced a phased rollback of VAT export rebates for battery products, cutting the rebate from 9% to 6% from April 2026 to December 2026 and eliminating it entirely from January 2027. Photovoltaic product rebates will also be scrapped from April 2026. The move is expected to squeeze margins for exporters unless they can pass costs to overseas buyers, with industry experts forecasting gradual price increases of 2–3% for power batteries and 2–4% for energy storage batteries.
OFI International · 3 months ago
China has lowered the import VAT on 16 agricultural products, including refined sunflower and rapeseed oils, from 13% to 9% effective 2 February 2026. A new tariff line 1512190010 was created for refined sunflower oil, and the change applies to a range of oils and fats. Products imported from the USA remain subject to retaliatory MFN tariffs.
VatCalc · 3 months ago
China’s State Administration of Taxation clarified VAT starting thresholds for the 2026 Value Added Tax Law. Natural persons’ daily threshold rises to RMB 1,000 per transaction, with special rules for continuous transactions and a monthly RMB 100,000 threshold. The announcement also simplifies compliance by deeming filing fulfilled when VAT is invoiced by authorities or withheld, and allows small‑scale taxpayers to waive exemptions transaction‑by‑transaction.
Key Takeaways
From 1 July 2026, customs will conduct random inspections for claims below CNY 10,000, replacing mandatory checks for every application.
Claims involving purchases below CNY 10,000 (€1,280 / $1,467) will be subject to random inspections only, while larger claims still require full customs verification.
Tourists must leave China and validate their refund claims within 28 days of purchase.
The instant VAT refund mechanism was launched in April 2025, initially piloted in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangdong, Sichuan, and Zhejiang.
Primary source
Read the full article at VatCalcThis summary was published on VATfaqs.com on 22 May 2026. It relates to VAT developments in China. The original source is VatCalc.
