2. What two (or more) quotes capture the message of the article?
“China has just published a long-awaited draft law on environmental taxes aimed at cutting down on water, soil and air pollution in key industries.”
“Current pollution fees are not compulsory, remain uncollected on a wide scale, and where proceeds are allocated remains unclear, say critics, who point out the current system has clearly failed to prevent or slow China’s pollution crisis.”
3. What is the main point of the article, and how is it supported? The challenge in the draft law that proposes levies on pollutants in water and air, as well as solid waste and noise.
A major problem is where money raised by new taxation income should be directed, and whether it will be adequately ring fenced and spent on environmental protection or cleaning up China’s toxic legacy.
Several other major issues will have to be resolved before the environmental tax can take shape, said Lu Dongsen of the National Development and Reform Commission’s Environment and Resources Department.
For environmental taxes to complement these new policies, officials will need to decide the level of the tax. Some fear that setting rates set too high would leave some companies unable to comply, slowing economic growth at both the national and local level, and resulting in large-scale job losses in some areas.
4. What actors (individuals or organizations) are referred to? (Provide names and short descriptions.)
Jia Kang: a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and head of the Ministry of Finance’s Research Institute for Fiscal Science.
Wang Canfa: a professor at the China University of Politics and Law.
Lu Dongsen: the National Development and Reform Commission’s Environment and Resources Department.
Xi Jinping: Chinese President.
Chai Jing: a Chinese journalist, host, author and environmental activist with a self-financed documentary called Under the Dome.
康佳：中国人民政治协商委员会的一员并且是中国公共财政研究院的主干事。
王灿发：中国政法大学的一名教授。
刘东森：中国国家发展和改革委员会的一员。
习近平：中国国家主席。
柴静：柴静，中国女记者及主持人，以深入新闻前线及具批判性的调查而闻名，著有：苍穹之下。
5. What kind of causation or responsibility is argued or implied in the article?
Causation: Current pollution fees are not compulsory, remain uncollected on a wide scale, and where proceeds are allocated remains unclear, say critics, who point out the current system has clearly failed to prevent or slow China’s pollution crisis.
Responsibility: If the environmental taxes are implemented, no matter the central government or the local government, the income should be used under strict enforcement and scrutiny.
6. How (if at all) are health disparities or other equity issues addressed in the article or report? Since the environmental taxes will be implemented national wide, so there’s no disparities addressed in this article.
7. What three points, details or references from the article did you follow up on to advance your understanding of the issued and actors described in the article?
The awareness of protecting environment of companies should be improved.
This pollution fines will be an effective way to harness the air pollution.
Not only the central government work on scrutiny of implementation of the law, the local government should also focus on how to improve the air quality.
Citation: Chun Zhang, “China issues draft on environmental taxes to combat pollution”, Chinadialogue, accessed June 11, 2015.
张春，环境税进入公开征求意见环节，https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/ch/7975-China-issues-draft-on-environmental-taxes-to-combat-pollution 2015-06-11
2. What two (or more) quotes capture the message of the article?
3. What is the main point of the article, and how is it supported?
The challenge in the draft law that proposes levies on pollutants in water and air, as well as solid waste and noise.
- A major problem is where money raised by new taxation income should be directed, and whether it will be adequately ring fenced and spent on environmental protection or cleaning up China’s toxic legacy.
- Several other major issues will have to be resolved before the environmental tax can take shape, said Lu Dongsen of the National Development and Reform Commission’s Environment and Resources Department.
- For environmental taxes to complement these new policies, officials will need to decide the level of the tax. Some fear that setting rates set too high would leave some companies unable to comply, slowing economic growth at both the national and local level, and resulting in large-scale job losses in some areas.
关于《环境保护税法（征求意见稿）》，针对大气污染物、水污染物、土地污染等征税的困难。4. What actors (individuals or organizations) are referred to? (Provide names and short descriptions.)
5. What kind of causation or responsibility is argued or implied in the article?
6. How (if at all) are health disparities or other equity issues addressed in the article or report?
Since the environmental taxes will be implemented national wide, so there’s no disparities addressed in this article.
7. What three points, details or references from the article did you follow up on to advance your understanding of the issued and actors described in the article?