A SENIOR official in Beijing said yesterday that people who owed taxes would be barred from leaving the country.
Lu Renfa, Deputy Director of the State General Administration of Taxation, said industrial and commercial taxes owed by firms had gradually increased this year, directly threatening the financial balance of the Government.
He stressed the law stipulated that every taxpayer had to fulfil their obligation to pay.
The authorities would take action against companies which had not paid tax to the state over a long period, and those responsible would be prevented from leaving the country.
Xinhua quoted Mr Lu as saying that up to November this year, unpaid commercial taxes had risen to 41.9 billion yuan (HK$39.17 billion).
He urged tax departments at every level to implement the tax collection law strictly and demand that companies in arrears paid an extra fee.