Choosing a Phone Number

From October, ten northern provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, Jilin, Liaoning will no longer charge residents for choosing a telephone number. This has been made possible by the introduction of a new automatic computer based system.

The computer offers a selection of 30 numbers. If preferred the customer can request another 30 to chose from. If none are acceptable from among these, the application can be withdrawn and repeated later. It is also possible to get the computer to conduct a search and allocate a particular personalized number if it is still available.

Environmental Protection

New measures to improve the environment in Beijing came into effect in October.

The government has called upon various departments concerned to implement the updated regulations, which introduce new requirements aimed at protecting the appearance of the city. Responsibilities at both departmental and individual level will be clearly identified.

The municipal administration management committee has lost no time in implementing the new measures. The improvements involved will include such areas as building maintenance, snow clearing and better garbage disposal.

Conserving Water

Improved measures to aid water conservation came into force in October.

For example water installation which are incomplete or do not comply with regulations will be shut down with fines up to 100,000 yuan (US$12,096.6) imposed. In addition, measures are now in place for the first time to impose increased charges for exceeding permitted levels of water consumption.

The new water law introduces stipulations affecting construction operations. New-build, extensions and refurbishment are all included in the scope of the regulations. In all cases, water saving measures are to be an integral part of the design and must be incorporated into the works.

Compliance can be enforced through stopping work on site, issuing a notice to make good within a prescribed time and/or fines ranging from 50,000 to 100,000 yuan (US$6,048.3-12,096.6).

Easier to Pay Tax

A total of 70,044 self-employed industrialists and businessmen in Beijing will no longer have to stand in line at the taxation bureau to pay their taxes. From October they can make arrangements for direct payment from any of the banks participating in the new scheme.

The scheme for the self-employed has been introduced as a collaborative venture of the Beijing State Taxation Administration, the Municipal Commercial Bank and the Rural Credit Cooperative Association.

The self-employed taxpayer opens an account in the bank before taxation application time. The account provides a bankbook, credit card and so on as normal. There is a requirement to have funds on deposit to cover the amount of tax due.

The bank arranges direct money transfers in line with the requirements of the taxation department and provides confirmation to the taxpayer.

(china.org.cn by Li Xiao, October 24, 2002)