China's total tax revenues reached a record high of 3.7636 trillion yuan (US$482.5 billion) in 2006, an increase of 21.9 percent, or 677 billion yuan, year-on-year.

The figure, excluding Customs duties and agricultural tax, was revealed by Xie Xuren, director of the State Administration of Taxation (SAT) on Friday at a national conference.

The tax revenue accounted for over 18 percent of the country's GDP (gross domestic product) in the year, 1 percentage point higher than last year, Xie said.

The SAT has enhanced supervision over the income tax collection in real estate, entertainment, finance, insurance, telecommunications and coal industry in 2006, with 37.6 billion yuan of evaded tax collected, he said.

The SAT is reforming the country's tax collection system so as to reduce tax burden upon medium and low-income people and enhance tax levy over those with high income, he said.

According to the regulations promulgated by the SAT this year, individuals with annual income of more than 120,000 yuan (US$15,000) should pay personal income tax and voluntarily declare the income.

The rapid growth in tax revenue is a symbol of China's booming national economy, fortifying the country's financial strength and capacity to provide public goods and services, Xie said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2007)