Hong Kong’s Flat Tax May Drop to 15 Percent

Thanks in part to tax competition from Singapore, Hong Kong is on the verge of reducing the flat tax rate on both corporate and labor income to 15 percent. The Wall Street Journal notes  ($) — or at least hopes — that this might open some eyes in the US and UK:

Chief Executive Donald Tsang delivers the first policy speech of his new term on Wednesday and it promises to make instructive reading for lawmakers elsewhere in the world who want to make their economies competitive. Mr. Tsang’s move was mooted earlier this year, when he promised to cut taxes on both salaries and corporate profits to 15% during his next term. The salaries tax currently stands at 16% and the profits tax at 17.5%. On Friday, the South China Morning Post reported he’ll start the ball rolling this week, sooner in his term rather than later. Singapore, Hong Kong’s big competitor in the region, has been steadily cutting corporate taxes over the past few years. Its rate now stands at 18%. …In the race to attract new business, New York and London are competing against a territory that thinks a 17.5% corporate tax is too high.