Tax on sewing machines halted following riots
By Li Qian |
October 29, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ATTEMPTS to collect a "sewing machine tax" in a town in Zhejiang Province have been dropped after children's clothes manufacturers and traders rioted.
Tax collectors involved in the dispute in the town of Zhili have now been fired, said officials.
Clashes between garment trade workers and tax authorities have now ended and the situation is under control, the Wuxing District government, which is in charge of Zhili, said yesterday.
Twenty-eight people among groups who fought with police and damaged cars and public property have been detained.
Clothing traders in Zhili, one of China's children's clothing centers, were expected to pay what was dubbed a "sewing machine tax," if they had the machines at home.
As well as running shops, many retailers also run small home-based workshops where several staff make garments.
The tax was recently raised from 300 yuan (US$47.3) per sewing machine per year to 600 yuan, triggering rioting, the China Business News reported, citing a source at the local tax authority.
Tax contributed by the children's clothing industry in Zhili to central government rose from 5 million yuan in 2003 to 80 million yuan in 2010, according to the local tax authority.
The incident began on Wednesday after a children's clothing store owner refused to pay tax to local officials and then mustered other vendors to rally in support.
A crowd of over 600 people gathered at Wednesday night, surrounding the town hall and vandalizing public property. The protestors also damaged more than 30 parked cars.
The demonstration also drew more than 1,000 onlookers.
At around 6pm, as the crowd attempted to smash a passing Audi car, the frightened driver accelerated to flee and struck nine people.
All the injured were admitted to hospital and were in a stable condition yesterday, it was reported.
On Thursday afternoon, the mob gathered again. One police officer and three police assistants were slightly injured and one police car was torched before the situation was brought under control.
Wuxing government officials have started visiting the clothing vendors to discuss their grievances.
Tax collectors involved in the dispute in the town of Zhili have now been fired, said officials.
Clashes between garment trade workers and tax authorities have now ended and the situation is under control, the Wuxing District government, which is in charge of Zhili, said yesterday.
Twenty-eight people among groups who fought with police and damaged cars and public property have been detained.
Clothing traders in Zhili, one of China's children's clothing centers, were expected to pay what was dubbed a "sewing machine tax," if they had the machines at home.
As well as running shops, many retailers also run small home-based workshops where several staff make garments.
The tax was recently raised from 300 yuan (US$47.3) per sewing machine per year to 600 yuan, triggering rioting, the China Business News reported, citing a source at the local tax authority.
Tax contributed by the children's clothing industry in Zhili to central government rose from 5 million yuan in 2003 to 80 million yuan in 2010, according to the local tax authority.
The incident began on Wednesday after a children's clothing store owner refused to pay tax to local officials and then mustered other vendors to rally in support.
A crowd of over 600 people gathered at Wednesday night, surrounding the town hall and vandalizing public property. The protestors also damaged more than 30 parked cars.
The demonstration also drew more than 1,000 onlookers.
At around 6pm, as the crowd attempted to smash a passing Audi car, the frightened driver accelerated to flee and struck nine people.
All the injured were admitted to hospital and were in a stable condition yesterday, it was reported.
On Thursday afternoon, the mob gathered again. One police officer and three police assistants were slightly injured and one police car was torched before the situation was brought under control.
Wuxing government officials have started visiting the clothing vendors to discuss their grievances.
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