The Ministry of Finance hosted the APEC Virtual Workshop, titled “Leveraging New Technology for Tax Administration in the Post-COVID Era,” in the morning of September 28, 2023. By inviting moderators and speakers from the Asian Development Bank, the Study Group on Asia-Pacific Tax Administration and Research, Australia, Canada, Japan, Thailand, as well as domestic experts with the Fiscal Information Agency (FIA) and the National Taxation Bureau of the Central Area (“NTBCA”) of the Ministry of Finance, there are a total of 12 economies and international organizations with 215 officials registered for participating in this event.
The Ministry of Finance stated that the pandemic has accelerated globally the digitalization of economic activities, leading to substantial changes in terms of business operations, transaction modes, and people's daily routines. These challenges have also provided opportunities for governments to digitize their administrative processes. Tax authorities worldwide have dedicated resources to leverage new technologies to provide more convenient and diverse digital services, such as improving the efficiency and convenience of processes in the areas of e-invoicing, tax e-filing, online payments and refunds, etc. Simultaneously, their goal also includes optimizing the effectiveness of core operations by employing new technologies to analyze tax compliance risks, improve the detection and resolution of tax evasion cases, and curb underground economic activities that do not adhere to tax regulations. This approach may facilitate tax fairness, enhance domestic resource mobilization, and bolster fiscal resilience, so as to sustain national welfare policies and economic development needs.
In this Virtual Workshop, the first session featured international organizations sharing the digital transformation journey and developments in tax administration before and after the pandemic, including the use of new technologies for data collection and processing as well as case studies on combating the underground economy. Immediately following this, the FIA presented its implementation experience, detailing the meticulous pre-digital transformation preparations. This includes ensuring regulatory framework readiness, acquiring essential hardware and software equipment, fostering talent development, and bolstering information security capabilities. The FIA also shared its ongoing initiatives, such as the gradual promotion of robotic process automation (RPA), mobile device services, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications, closing with its vision for achieving the sustainable development of tax administration in the future. Subsequently, experts from Australia and Japan shared their experiences in optimizing personal income tax-related services by integrating online and mobile platforms aligned with people's daily lives. Experts from Thailand and the NTBCA introduced practical cases concerning leveraging new technologies to detect risks of tax evasion in VAT/GST (business tax).
The Ministry of Finance further highlighted that this project for holding the Virtual Workshop was activated in 2022 after receiving approval with funding support from the APEC Support Fund-Digital Innovation Sub-Fund. It was the first event hosted by the Ministry of Finance with APEC funding support. Through this opportunity, the Ministry of Finance aims to facilitate profound exchanges on digital transformation policies and experiences related to tax administration with other APEC economies and international organizations, support capacity building among participating economies, and promote inclusive and sustainable development within the APEC region. Additionally, this collaboration with APEC provides a platform to jointly promote gender equality, encouraging women's participation in the development and application of digital technology. The Ministry of Finance reiterated its commitment to continue international participation, endeavoring to advance tax and fiscal policy exchanges and cooperation with international organizations and other economies.
Contact person: Mr. Kevin Pao, Senior Executive Officer, Department of International Fiscal Affairs
Mr. Peter Wang, Deputy Director, Fiscal Information Agency
Contact Number: (02)2322-8211
(02)2746-1228
