China
Taiwan’s Death-Penalty Debate Could Influence Asia
The ongoing debate in Taiwan about capital punishment could influence China and its other East Asian neighbors, according to a report from human-rights organization Dui Hua Foundation . Although more than 70% of Taiwanese support capital punishment, debate about it came to the fore this year when president Ma Ying-jeou apologized in January for the wrongful execution of a soldier for the murder of a child in 1996. The government also executed five prisoners without notifying their families in March. The executions attracted condemnation from the European Union and advocacy groups, and marked the second time Taiwan executed convicts following an informal four-year moratorium. Starting in 2006 under President Chen Shui-bian’s administration, the informal ban was continued by president Ma Ying-jeou’s minister of justice, Wang Ching-feng, an outspoken opponent of the capital punishment. Ms. Wang became the center of a media firestorm when she said she would rather “go to hell” than authorize the executions . Since her resignation in March last year, Taiwan has renewed its use of capital punishment, executing 10 prisoners. Dui Hua argues that the high profile of the apology and the condemnations stirred by the executions could influence policies in neighboring China, Japan and South Korea: “Besides some widely criticized executions in China, none in recent times in that part of the world have been condemned as much as those in Taiwan, where the current political environment holds little promise of the 40 who remain on its death row. At least the contested political process in Taiwan is likely to ensure that a healthy public debate continues, a debate that will influence the fate of capital punishment there and in Asia more broadly,” the report said. Polls taken in Taiwan have shown more nearly three-quarters of the population support the death penalty. But the Dui Hua report says there is growing political will to develop alternatives to capital punishment without actually banning it outright. Last year in Taiwan a justice ministry task force recommended that longer mandatory life sentences and more stringent parole reviews could encourage judges to opt for life sentences in place of death sentences . A life sentence without parole, called a “special life sentence” in Taiwan, is as popular as capital punishment among the public, according to Dui Hua. Inmates serving life sentences in Taiwan currently stay in jail an average of only 12.8 years, compared with 20 years in Japan. Though it remains to be seen whether Taiwan’s stance on the death penalty will change anytime soon, the report argues that a trend away from capital punishment across the region is appearing in China as well. “The death penalty, like any punishment, is subject to errors that undermine its legitimacy. In Taiwan and Japan, prisoners on death row have been exonerated and freed. Torture has been used to extract confessions from innocent people who have later been executed, as seen with the presidential apology in Taiwan. In such instances, it’s possible to draw parallels between China and its neighbors,” it said. “China has also set death row prisoners free, admitted that innocent people have been executed, and reassessed its death penalty practices; China has made much of its increasingly ‘careful’ use of capital punishment, and the Supreme People’s Court’s more stringent final review of death sentences has been credited in helping to reduce executions.” –Paul Mozur. Follow him on Twitter at @paulmozur
The ongoing debate in Taiwan about capital punishment could influence China and its other East Asian neighbors, according to a report from human-rights organization Dui Hua Foundation . Although more than 70% of Taiwanese support capital punishment, debate about it came to the fore this year when president Ma Ying-jeou apologized in January for the wrongful execution of a soldier for the murder of a child in 1996. The government also executed five prisoners without notifying their families in March. The executions attracted condemnation from the European Union and advocacy groups, and marked the second time Taiwan executed convicts following an informal four-year moratorium. Starting in 2006 under President Chen Shui-bian’s administration, the informal ban was continued by president Ma Ying-jeou’s minister of justice, Wang Ching-feng, an outspoken opponent of the capital punishment. Ms. Wang became the center of a media firestorm when she said she would rather “go to hell” than authorize the executions . Since her resignation in March last year, Taiwan has renewed its use of capital punishment, executing 10 prisoners. Dui Hua argues that the high profile of the apology and the condemnations stirred by the executions could influence policies in neighboring China, Japan and South Korea: “Besides some widely criticized executions in China, none in recent times in that part of the world have been condemned as much as those in Taiwan, where the current political environment holds little promise of the 40 who remain on its death row. At least the contested political process in Taiwan is likely to ensure that a healthy public debate continues, a debate that will influence the fate of capital punishment there and in Asia more broadly,” the report said. Polls taken in Taiwan have shown more nearly three-quarters of the population support the death penalty. But the Dui Hua report says there is growing political will to develop alternatives to capital punishment without actually banning it outright. Last year in Taiwan a justice ministry task force recommended that longer mandatory life sentences and more stringent parole reviews could encourage judges to opt for life sentences in place of death sentences . A life sentence without parole, called a “special life sentence” in Taiwan, is as popular as capital punishment among the public, according to Dui Hua. Inmates serving life sentences in Taiwan currently stay in jail an average of only 12.8 years, compared with 20 years in Japan. Though it remains to be seen whether Taiwan’s stance on the death penalty will change anytime soon, the report argues that a trend away from capital punishment across the region is appearing in China as well. “The death penalty, like any punishment, is subject to errors that undermine its legitimacy. In Taiwan and Japan, prisoners on death row have been exonerated and freed. Torture has been used to extract confessions from innocent people who have later been executed, as seen with the presidential apology in Taiwan. In such instances, it’s possible to draw parallels between China and its neighbors,” it said. “China has also set death row prisoners free, admitted that innocent people have been executed, and reassessed its death penalty practices; China has made much of its increasingly ‘careful’ use of capital punishment, and the Supreme People’s Court’s more stringent final review of death sentences has been credited in helping to reduce executions.” –Paul Mozur. Follow him on Twitter at @paulmozur
Business
China’s Golden Rooster Film Festival Kicks Off in Xiamen – Thailand Business News
The 2024 China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival began in Xiamen on Nov 13, featuring awards, cultural projects worth 31.63 billion yuan, and fostering international film collaborations.
2024 China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival Opens
The 2024 China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival commenced in Xiamen, Fujian province, on November 13. This prestigious event showcases the top film awards in China and spans four days, concluding with the China Golden Rooster Awards ceremony on November 16.
The festival features various film exhibitions, including the Golden Rooster Mainland Film Section and the Golden Rooster International Film Section. These showcases aim to highlight the achievements of Chinese-language films and foster global cultural exchanges within the film industry.
On the festival’s opening day, a significant milestone was reached with the signing of 175 cultural and film projects, valued at 31.63 billion yuan ($4.36 billion). Additionally, the International Film and Television Copyright Service Platform was launched, furthering the globalization of Chinese film and television properties.
Source : China’s Golden Rooster film festival opens in Xiamen – Thailand Business News
China
Italy and China New DTA Set to Take Effect in 2025: Important Changes and Implications
Italy ratified an upgraded Double Tax Agreement (DTA) with China, effective in 2025, to reduce tax burdens, prevent evasion, and enhance investment. The DTA introduces modern provisions aligned with international standards, targeting tax avoidance and improving dispute resolution for Italian businesses.
Italy recently ratified the upgraded Double Tax Agreement (DTA), which will finally take effect in 2025. This agreement was signed in 2019 and was designed to reduce tax burdens, prevent tax evasion, and promote Italian investment in China.
On November 5, 2024, Italy’s Chamber of Deputies gave final approval to the ratification of the 2019 Double Tax Agreement (DTA) between Italy and China (hereinafter, referred to as the “new DTA”).
Set to take effect in 2025, the new DTA is aimed at eliminating double taxation on income, preventing tax evasion, and creating a more favorable environment for Italian businesses operating in China.
The ratification bill for the new DTA consists of four articles, with Article 3 detailing the financial provisions. Starting in 2025, the implementation costs of the agreement are estimated at €10.86 million (US$11.49 million) annually. These costs will be covered by a reduction in the special current expenditure fund allocated in the Italian Ministry of Economy’s 2024 budget, partially drawing from the reserve for the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the parliamentary debate, Deputy Foreign Minister Edmondo Cirielli emphasized the new DTA’s strategic importance, noting that the agreement redefines Italy’s economic and financial framework with China. Cirielli highlighted that the DTA not only strengthens relations with the Chinese government but also supports Italian businesses, which face increasing competition as other European countries have already established double taxation agreements with China. This ratification, therefore, is part of a broader series of diplomatic and economic engagements, leading up to a forthcoming visit by the President of the Italian Republic to China, underscoring Italy’s commitment to fostering bilateral relations and supporting its businesses in China’s complex market landscape.
The newly signed DTA between Italy and China, introduces several modernized provisions aligned with international tax frameworks. Replacing the 1986 DTA, the agreement adopts measures from the OECD/G20 Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Project and the OECD Multilateral Instrument (MLI), targeting tax avoidance and improving dispute resolution.
The Principal Purpose Test (PPT) clause, inspired by BEPS, is one of the central updates in the new DTA, working to prevent treaty abuse. This clause allows tax benefits to be denied if one of the primary purposes of a transaction or arrangement was to gain a tax advantage, a move to counter tax evasion through treaty-shopping.
| This article was first published by China Briefing , which is produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The firm assists foreign investors throughout Asia from offices across the world, including in in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, and India . Readers may write to info@dezshira.com for more support. |
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Business
China’s New Home Prices Stabilize After 17-Month Decline Following Support Measures
China’s new home prices fell for the 17th month in October, declining 0.5% from September, but slowing, indicating potential market stabilization amid supportive measures. Second-hand home prices showed mixed trends.
Decline in China’s Home Prices Stabilizes
China’s new home prices continued to decline in October for the 17th consecutive month, although the drop showed signs of slowing. Recent support measures from Beijing appear to be inching the market toward stabilization, as evidenced by a lighter decline compared to earlier months.
Monthly and Yearly Comparisons
According to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics, new home prices across 70 mainland cities fell by 0.5% from September, marking the smallest decrease in seven months. Year-on-year, prices dropped by 6.2%, slightly worse than the September decline of 6.1%. In tier-1 cities like Beijing and Shanghai, prices decreased by 0.2%, a smaller fall than 0.5% in the previous month.
Second-Hand Home Market Trends
Second-hand home prices in tier-1 cities experienced a 0.4% increase in October, reversing a 13-month downward trend. Conversely, tier-2 cities observed a 0.4% drop in second-hand prices, while tier-3 cities faced a similar 0.5% decline. Overall, recent trends indicate a potential stabilization in China’s property market.
Source : China’s new home prices slow 17-month decline after support measures kick in
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