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Hong Kong Updates Lists of Debt Instruments Eligible for Profits Tax Concessions or Exemption — Orbitax Tax News & Alerts

The Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has published updated lists of Qualifying Debt Instruments (QDIs) as at the end of 31 March 2023. The lists include:

  • QDIs issued before 1 April 2018, including:
    • short and medium term QDIs that are intended to be eligible for Profits Tax concession (i.e., chargeable at 50% of the normal profits tax rate) in accordance with section14A(1) of the Inland Revenue Ordinance; and
    • long term QDIs that are intended to be eligible for Profits Tax exemption in accordance with section 26A of the Inland Revenue Ordinance as from the year of assessment 2003/04; and
  • QDIs issued on or after 1 April 2018 that are intended to be eligible for Profits Tax exemption in accordance with section 14A(1B) of the Inland Revenue Ordinance as from the year of assessment 2018/19.

Listed QDIs mainly include debt instruments issued by financial institutions and governments in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as a few others.