Hong Kong tax man seeking HK$180 million in taxes from the Anglican Church from land sale

The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal has agreed to hear a case brought by the Inland Revenue Department seeking payment of HK$180 million (£15 million) in taxes from the Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui. In 2008 the Hong Kong tax authority billed the Anglican Church for its share of the profits from a real estate development that netted the church HK$452 million, and the HKSKH foundation another HK$667 million in profits. The church appealed the decision and a ruling was handed down last year by the Inland Revenue Department’s Board of Review which found the church was exempt from taxation under Section 88 of the Revenue Ordinance. Last week, however the Commissioner of Inland Revenue Wong Kuen-fai lodged an appeal with the territory’s high court, and leave was granted to proceed with a court date set for 8 January 2016.