Work Underway for a Potential E-commerce Tax

　　The Chinese Commerce Ministry's spokesperson Yao Jian has confirmed that research is underway for a potential e-commerce tax.

 

　　"Tax should be managed by the financial and taxation² authorities. Our financial and taxation authorities will regulate the taxation laws and orders. We also learned that relevant departments are working on the research on e-commerce tax. Our overall goal is to promote the healthy development of the industry and further promote and regulate it in its development."

 

　　The notion was first put forward to the government at this year's NPC and CPPCC sessions.

 

　　Recent reports have been suggesting that the new legislation being worked on may see a 5-percent tax levied³ on online shop owners.

 

　　Official figures show the total transaction volume in the Chinese e-commerce market exceeded 8-trillion yuan in 2012.

 

　　That's an increase of some 32-percent compared to the previous year.

 

　　Online sales here in China are also growing at 4-times the rate of retail⁴ goods sold at brick-and-mortar operations.

 

　　Paul James spoke¹ more about the issue with Benjamin Cavender, Associate principal at China Market Research in Shanghai.

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 taxation   

n.征税，税收，税金

参考例句：

• He made a number of simplifications in the taxation system.他在税制上作了一些简化。
• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。

3 levied   

征（兵）( levy的过去式和过去分词 )； 索取； 发动（战争）； 征税

参考例句：

• Taxes should be levied more on the rich than on the poor. 向富人征收的税应该比穷人的多。
• Heavy fines were levied on motoring offenders. 违规驾车者会遭到重罚。

4 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。