China has given celebrities and Internet stars 10 days to comply with the tax administration, following a record fine for fraud on the country’s well-known influencer, Viya Huang. Chinese President Xi Jinping in August called for “common prosperity” and promised an “adjustment” of excessive revenues. The message was seen as a warning to wealthy leaders in industries such as showbiz and the Internet accused of offering “stellar wages”.
On Monday, influencer Viya, well known in China for her “home shopping” 2.0 videos, was convicted of tax evasion to pay a record fine of 1.3 billion yuan (181 million euros).
“Entertainment stars, livestreamers and other public figures must strictly comply with the provisions of the tax law,” the authorities said. “It is the duty of every citizen to pay taxes”. So Beijing has given 10 days, or until “the end of the year” to comply, otherwise “heavy” sanctions are foreseen.
Viya, from the day after the conviction for tax evasion, was banned from the main social networks of the country. She is a key figure in online commerce. His smartphone teleshopping has been followed daily by millions of Chinese consumers, generally young and passionate about new technologies. Viya was often approached by the marches and, as a result, had a small empire.
Viya isn’t the first Chinese star to be arrested for tax evasion. In August, actress Zheng Shuang, known for several roles in popular television series in China, was sentenced to pay 39 million euros. And in 2018, movie star Fan Bingbing apologized to his fans and the Communist Party after receiving a $ 129 million fine from the taxman.