A series of new policies and measures have now been formally adopted and come into force. Let’s see how they will affect your everyday life in China and check the updates of important news! 

– 01 –

Foreigners meeting conditions can apply for IIT subsidies

Guangzhou has rolled out preferential individual income tax (IIT) policies in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. From July 1 to August 15, eligible applicants can submit an application online. 
According to the application guideline, overseas high-end talents and critically lacking talents who work within the administrative area of Guangzhou shall be given financial subsidies if their IIT paid in Guangzhou exceeds the tax amount computed at 15% of their taxable income.

The subsidies are granted on a lump-sum basis every year. It will be open for application and granted after the settlement and payment of IIT in the following year. 
The period of IIT settlement in 2019 is between March 1 to June 30, 2020. And the applications for financial subsidies in 2019 are accepted from July 1 to August 15 this year. 
Let’s check the following article to know more about the conditions and required materials for applicants. 

– 02 –

Shanghai lifts quarantine rules for overseas arrivals, allowing 7-day home quarantine 

Shanghai allows people arriving from overseas to undergo a week-long home quarantine after finishing a 7-day concentrated quarantine in designated places starting July 27. 

Travelers are required to take a COVID-19 nucleic acid test on the 5th day of their quarantine at a designated location and they must have a fixed residence in the city if they decide to finish the last 7 days of quarantine at home. 
If they return a negative nucleic acid test result, the authority will allow them to finish their quarantine at home, without coming into contact with other persons in the transfer process. 
Before their quarantine ends, the traveler and other members in the same household must take nucleic acid tests. The quarantine will be lifted after the 7 days if all tests are returned negative. 
In addition, Shanghai will continue to allow the elderly, minors, pregnant women and others whose conditions do not allow concentrated quarantines to apply for home quarantines, as long as they test negative in nucleic acid test and fit home quarantine requirements.

– 03 –
HK extends quarantine measures until Sept 7

The Hong Kong government announced in a statement last week that it has further extended its 14-day mandatory quarantine for all arrivals from the mainland, Macao and Taiwan to 7 September. 

Besides, facemasks have been mandatory on public transport and at all indoor public spaces in HK, malls and building lobbies included. 

– 04 –
Shenzhen & Zhuhai have suspended the quarantine exemptions for travelers from HK

Both Zhuhai and Shenzhen have suspended the recognition policy previously in place that saw mandatory quarantine requirements waived for inbound travelers from Hong Kong if they had already completed 14 days of medical observation in the SAR. 
Under the new policy, Zhuhai requires inbound travelers from Hong Kong to have another 14-day quarantine on the Chinese mainland, even if they have finished the 14-day quarantine in Hong Kong. 
Earlier in this month, Zhuhai and Shenzhen have adjusted the entry restrictions for several times for the pandemic situation. You can click the following link for more details. 

– 05 –
Arrivals from Macao can stay in the entire province without quarantine

Starting from 6 a.m. on July 29th, people entering Guangdong province from Guangdong-Macao ports will no longer undergo 14-days of centralized quarantine, and those passengers are allowed to stay anywhere in the entire province. 
Previously, the policy allows the passengers to visit nine cities of the province including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Huizhou, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing. 
Now the scope has been expanded to “facilitate the gradual restoration of the normal movement of people between Guangdong and Macao”. 

However, passengers who have traveled to or from foreign countries or other overseas areas within 14 days before coming to Guangdong are excluded. 
They should go to a qualified testing institution for nucleic acid testing in advance. The testing institution must be recognized and approved by Guangdong and Macao governments. The test result must be negative. 

– 06 –
More airlines to resume int’l flights to China! Check the updates on the flight schedule

More international airlines are resuming flights to China. China’s civil aviation regulator said July 17 that Japan Airlines, Lao Airlines, and Hainan Airlines are allowed to increase their number of international flights because of their effective COVID-19 control measures. 
In addition, Virgin Atlantic will reopen its London-Shanghai route (Flight VS251 and VS251) on August 4. Canada will follow on August 7, flying between Vancouver and Shanghai route (Flight AC25 and AC26) once a week. 
British Airways will be back in the Chinese skies on August 9, flying twice a week from London’s Heathrow Airport to Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Thursdays and Sundays. 

Last week, we’ve posted the flight schedules of some airlines including Egypt Air, Korean Air, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Emirates and Scoots. Let’s check our previous article for more details! 

– 07 –
Taxpayers with minor illegal acts for the first time can be exempted from punishment

Last year, the State Taxation Administration issued the Notice on the Measures Supporting and Facilitating Integrated Regional Development in the Yangtze River Delta, launching 16 tax-facilitated services to boost the growth of the delta region. 
The Notice introduces a list of “first violations without penalty” applicable to the region. According to the rule, taxpayers shall be exempted from punishment when they are found guilty of some minor illegal acts for the first time. Tax authorities in Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui have announced that the measures will be effective on August 1. 

– 08 –
Drivers using phone while driving in Xiamen will be fined 200 yuan

Xiamen has adjusted a series of traffic regulations effective from August 1. In order to combat distracted driving, Xiamen announced that those who use cellphones or other electric devices while driving in Xiamen will be fined 200 yuan. 
What’s more, if the vehicle noise exceeds the national standards, the driver will be fined 1,000 yuan. 

As for those who use balance bikes or electric scooters on the road, they will be given a warning or a fine of 200 yuan by the local department.