Working In China
General Information
The People’s Republic of China (PRC), commonly known as China, has control over Mainland China and the largely self-governing territories of Hong Kong (since 1997) and Macau (since 1999). Its capital is Beijing. The integral Chinese territory is 960,000 square kilometres, and the population is over 1.4 billion. The national language is Mandarin. Most of the 55 minority nationalities have their own languages. Cantonese is one of the local dialects of southern China.
China has a continental and seasonal climate. Most parts are in the temperate zone but southern areas are in the tropical or subtropical zone while northern areas are in the frigid zone. Climates in different areas are complicated.
China has the third-largest economy after the European Union and the United States, and foreign trade accounts for a third of China’s GDP. China’s economy is booming. Many multinational companies are still relocating to China and other companies who are already located in Asia are moving their Asian headquarters to China.
With the explosive growth of its middle class and the ranks of high-wealth individuals, mainland China is seeing an equal boom in the thirst for luxury goods like watches, handbags and perfume. Now the world's second-largest market for luxury brands, China could unseat Japan for the top spot within a few years.
Living in China
China is a land of ancient culture and modern progress, old ways and hip new styles, the proverbial yin and yang of contemporary Chinese life. Despite Challenges, Working in China is a Rewarding Cross-Cultural Experience
Chinese cuisine is a bright branch in the treasure house of Chinese culture, and it is also a dominant one in the field of world cuisine. The core of Chinese cuisine is taste, and its purpose is to preserve health. It fuses nutrition and colour, shape, appearance and the taste perfectly.
In major cities, there are many options available catering to all budgets. Foreigners living in Shanghai and Beijing for example, can expect to pay anything between RMB 2,000 (for a one-bedroom apartment) to 80,000 or more (for a villa in an expatriate complex) per month.
Working in China
Any non-Chinese passport holder working for a local company, a foreign company or a wholly foreign-owned enterprise in China needs to pay tax. Employees who live and work in China for more than 183 days a year, will be liable to pay Chinese taxes on all income received whilst in the country. Personal income tax is charged on a sliding scale, ranging from 5% to 45%. If an employee also receives income from overseas, they will be taxed in China on their worldwide income, with a tax credit given against any tax already paid in other countries. Tax is deducted from an employee’s pay each month by the employer and is then paid to the government. Most employers will offer a private healthcare insurance plan for their foreign employees.
