Local government debt pressure and enterprise tax burden in China

Abstract

This study examines the relations between local government debt pressure and corporate tax burden in China, using the data of China’s A-share listed companies from 2009 to 2018, which turns out that there is a positive correlation between the two. Further examination revealed that the relationship between local government debt pressure and corporate tax burden is more pronounced in the sample of listed companies that belong to the state-owned holding companies, enterprises in eastern China, and the strong market allocation of economic resources. The research conclusion of this article supplements the theory and empirical study of the effect of the macro-financial system on the economic behavior of micro-enterprises, and also deepens the academic inquiry about the macro-environmental impact on the comprehensive tax burden of enterprises.