Punishing evasion promotes fair tax environment

Tax authorities in Shanghai slapped a 106 million yuan ($16.69 million) fine on Hebei-born actor Deng Lun on Tuesday for evading personal income tax of 47.6582 million yuan and underpaying personal income tax of 13.932 million yuan.

On the same day, Anqing city in Anhui province and Quanzhou city in Fujian province meted out punishments to those involved in tax evasion or fraud cases.

This exposure of a series of tax evasion cases demonstrates the efficiency of tax authorities and their determination to maintain the authority of the tax laws.

It also shows that tax violations in the entertainment and livestreaming industry are real.

However, from Zheng Shuang, Zhu Chenhui, Lin Shanshan and Huang Wei last year to Ping Rong and Deng Lun this year, the exposure of tax evasion by influential people is sending a strong message to society that the tax authorities mean business and every taxpayer should consciously pay taxes in accordance with the law.

The authorities suspected Deng Lun of tax evasion after analyzing big data. Any act of tax evasion can be traced this way, leaving taxpayers and enterprises with no option than to pay taxes honestly.

The exposure of tax evasion by these celebrities goes to show that nobody is a star before the law.

It is the duty of every citizen to pay taxes according to the law. In fact, stars and entertainers, as public figures, should take the lead in paying taxes consciously and honestly, otherwise they will lose their "halo" one day.

Deng Lun's case once again demonstrates that whether online or offline, there certainly exists no "gray area" for tax evasion. Only after the cost of illegal tax evasion is raised, can the country create a healthy, orderly fair tax environment.