Wang Ya'nan (R), a member of the multilingual volunteer team serving local expat taxpayers, introduces the Shenzhen Tax Service publication to an expat (L). Photos courtesy of Shenzhen Tax Service
A tax officer talks with an expat at the tax service hall in the Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone.
A staffer with the Nanshan District branch of the Shenzhen Tax Service serves an expat.
Within the Shenzhen Tax Service system, there is a dynamic group of volunteers fluent in English, French, Russian, and Spanish who are facilitating communication with foreign taxpayers.
These individuals, known as the Multilingual Tax Talent of the Shenzhen Tax Service, primarily work in the city's district tax administration branches.
Additionally, the team conducts lectures to introduce tax policies to expats and engages in research on international tax practices to drive the modernization of Shenzhen's taxation system.
Established in 2016, the team was recognized as one of the city's professional volunteer service teams at a ceremony celebrating the 19th Shenzhen Volunteer Day, which fell on Tuesday.
Team development
The volunteer group is currently comprised of 302 members, 88% of whom are individuals under 35. Their linguistic expertise includes the six official U.N. languages — Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish — as well as Japanese, Korean, German, and Portuguese.
Approximately 17% of these volunteers are proficient in two or more foreign languages, and 33% possess professional qualifications such as tax agent certifications, certified public accountant status, or legal degrees.
The team participated in 58 international exchange events in Shenzhen over the past year, aiming to enhance the city's global outreach.
The team contributes to the Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Mechanism (BRITACOM), a platform established to enhance tax cooperation and administration among Belt and Road countries. BRITACOM aims to foster a more stable and efficient tax environment that benefits all Belt and Road countries.
The team has also taken part in the Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Conference (BRITAC) for five years in a row. The conference provides a platform where tax authorities from Belt and Road countries can discuss issues related to taxation.
The team has translated over 1 million words related to international tax information and has drafted research reports on tax systems in other countries to provide recommendations for Shenzhen's economic advancement.
Many team members have been assigned to international institutions and Chinese embassies overseas, and hosted tax delegations from more than 10 countries and international organizations visiting Shenzhen.
Wang Ya'nan, who joined the team in 2020, remarked in a recent interview that the team's motto is "tax services in your native language."
She said the team can help foreign investors and employees in Shenzhen overcome language barriers and better understand local tax policies. Effective communication in the expats' native languages also helps create closer ties with them.
Wang has received commendations for her professional performance, which she views as both personal validation and motivation to pursue further achievements in her career.
"Our team members are all outstanding," Wang noted. "We even organize in-house translation contests to learn from each other and to perpetually hone our language skills."
With a background in English, Wang has acquired tax knowledge since joining the team. She values her role and finds it rewarding to assist expats.
Praise from expats
After attending a lecture in Pingshan, Michele Jefferson from BYD expressed satisfaction with Pingshan District's business environment. She said she felt welcomed and found the lecture useful in addressing tax-related queries. She hoped there would be more such events in the future.
David Temple, another BYD employee, praised Pingshan's tax services, which he said have showcased the city's inclusiveness and warmth.
Upon meeting Eva Nova, a Russian entrepreneur who plans to establish a business in Shenzhen, at an exchange event in Longgang District in 2022, Wang Hao, a member of the volunteer team, introduced her to the city's favorable policies for foreign investors.
They also exchanged contact information so that Nova could consult with Wang about tax issues in the future.
Nova was impressed by the amount of professional tax knowledge available and described Shenzhen's volunteers as "amazing."