China to further reduce business charges

    BEIJING - China's State Council on Wednesday decided to further reduce and standardize business charges to lower the corporate burden in the real economy. 

    The move is a key part of the drive to streamline administration and push forward supply-side structural reform, according to a statement released after a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang.

    Since 2013, central and local authorities have eliminated more than 1,000 administrative fees. However, the statement said, arbitrary charges remained prominent.

    The State Council urged departments to work out systematic, pragmatic and far-sighted measures to eliminate charges with greater determination.

    Brokerage businesses should not take advantage of government influence to make charges. Industry associations should not make mandatory charges, it added.

    Business and industrial firms should enjoy real benefits and energize market activities, according to the statement.