Core Viewpoint - Recent rumors regarding potential increases in value-added tax (VAT) rates for industries such as gaming and finance have been deemed unfounded by experts and industry insiders [1]. Industry Tax Policy - Starting January 1, 2026, the new VAT Law of the People's Republic of China and its implementation regulations will come into effect [1]. - Recent announcements from the financial and tax authorities have clarified VAT policies, ensuring legislative consistency and stability for industries including gaming and finance [1]. Tax Rate Clarification - The current VAT law specifies that the maximum VAT rate is 13%, contradicting claims that the gaming industry's rate could rise from 6% to 32% [1]. - Industry insiders have confirmed that there have been no adjustments to the VAT policies for the gaming and finance sectors, reinforcing the credibility of the current tax structure [1].

Core Viewpoint - Morgan Stanley reports that the Chinese Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration have announced a new VAT classification, increasing the tax rate on mobile data, broadband access, and SMS/MMS from 6% to 9%, which will negatively impact the revenue and profits of major Chinese telecom operators [1] Group 1: Impact on Telecom Operators - The extent of the impact on revenue and profits depends on two factors: (1) the proportion of affected revenue and (2) the net profit margin [1] - China Telecom (00728) and China Unicom (00762) are projected to see their earnings per share (EPS) affected by 14.1% and 15.2% respectively, while China Mobile (00941) is expected to be impacted by 7.8% due to its higher profit margin [1] Group 2: Future Earnings and Dividends - Morgan Stanley notes that the current EPS and dividend forecasts for Chinese telecom stocks do not account for this tax rate adjustment [1] - If the dividend payout ratios (estimated at 77% for China Mobile, 78% for China Telecom, and 65% for China Unicom) are not increased, the three major operators may experience declines in EPS and dividends by 2026 [1] Group 3: Long-term Outlook - The tax rate increase is considered a one-time adjustment, with growth rates expected to normalize starting in 2027 [1] - If domestic operators can pass the tax increase onto consumers through price hikes, there may be improvements in growth after 2027, although Morgan Stanley maintains a cautious outlook given the current moderate macro environment [1] Group 4: Industry Rating - Morgan Stanley has downgraded the industry rating for Chinese telecom stocks to "neutral" and adjusted the ratings for the three major telecom H-shares to "in line with the market" in light of the recent outlook for 2026 [1]

Trading Information - China Unicom (600050) closed at 4.83 yuan on February 2, 2026, with a decline of 5.48%, marking two consecutive days of decline [2][5] - The total trading volume for the day was 5.58 billion yuan, with a turnover rate of 1.81% and a total volume of 557.78 million shares [1][2] - Over the past 10 trading days, the main funds have seen a cumulative net inflow of 5.74 billion yuan, while the stock price has dropped by 6.08% during the same period [2] Fund Flow - On February 2, the main funds experienced a net outflow of 3.82 billion yuan, accounting for 14.0% of the total trading volume [3] - Retail investors saw a net inflow of 1.5 billion yuan, representing 5.48% of the total trading volume [3] Company Announcements - China Unicom announced that, effective January 1, 2026, the VAT rate for services such as mobile data, SMS, and internet broadband access will increase from 6% to 9%, which will impact the company's revenue and profit [4][5]

格隆汇2月2日｜港股电信股跌幅扩大，三大中资电信股领跌，其中，中国联通跌超9%，中国电信跌超 8%，中国移动跌超4%。 消息面上，近日，财政部、国家税务总局发布《关于增值税征税具体范围有关 事项的公告》，规定自2026年1月1日起，在中华人民共和国境内，利用固网、移动网、卫星、互联网， 提供手机流量服务、短信和彩信服务、互联网宽带接入服务的业务活动适用的税目由增值电信服务调整 为基础电信服务，对应增值税税率由6%调整至9%。 ...

港股三大通信运营商低开，中国联通跌超7%，中国电信跌超6%，中国移动跌超2%。消息面上，三大运 营商宣布调整电信服务增值税税率，由6%调至9%。 本文源自：金融界AI电报 ...

电信服务增值税税目适用范围将调整，三大运营商发布公告。1月31日，财政部、税务总局发布《关于 增值税征税具体范围有关事项的公告》，明确了适用9%和6%增值税税率范围，以及销售服务、无形资 产、不动产具体范围，这涉及多档税率。该《公告》自2026年1月1日起施行。目前中国增值税税率主要 有三档，其中基本税率是13%，两档优惠税率分别是9%和6%。 中国联通2月1日公告，近日，中华人民共和国财政部、国家税务总局发布《关于增值税征税具体范围有 关事项的公告》，规定自2026年1月1日起，在中华人民共和国境内，利用固网、移动网、卫星、互联 网，提供手机流量服务、短信和彩信服务、互联网宽带接入服务的业务活动适用的税目由增值电信服务 调整为基础电信服务，对应增值税税率由6%调整至9%。此次税目适用范围调整，将对本公司收入及利 润产生影响。本公司将坚持守正创新，坚持主责主业，聚焦"连接""算力""服务""安全"核心赛道，全力 打造差异化优势，进一步提升运营效率，推动公司高质量发展行稳致远。 1日，中国移动、中国联通及中国电信国内三大电信运营商相继发布公告，电信服务增值税税目适用范 围调整，税率由6%调整为9%，将对公司收入 ...

Core Viewpoint - The adjustment of the VAT tax category for telecommunications services in China will impact the revenue and profit of China Mobile, as the VAT rate changes from 6% to 9% starting January 1, 2026 [1][4]. Group 1 - The Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration of China announced that from January 1, 2026, the tax category for services such as mobile data, SMS, MMS, and internet broadband access will change from value-added telecommunications services to basic telecommunications services [1][4]. - The corresponding VAT rate for these services will increase from 6% to 9% [1][4]. - The company aims to strengthen its core telecommunications services, computing power services, and intelligent services while focusing on network enhancement and innovation [1][4].

Group 1 - The core point of the news is the adjustment of the value-added tax (VAT) rate for telecommunications services in China, increasing from 6% to 9%, which will impact the revenue and profits of major telecom operators [2][3] - The adjustment is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, and applies to services such as mobile data, SMS, multimedia messaging, and internet broadband access [2] - The change is characterized as a "repositioning" of the tax category rather than an additional tax burden, aiming to clarify the public nature of basic communication services and enhance operational efficiency in the industry [4] Group 2 - The announcement from the Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration specifies the applicable VAT rates and the scope of services, with the current VAT rates in China being 13% for the basic rate, and 9% and 6% for preferential rates [4] - The repositioning is expected to encourage telecom operators to focus more on core activities such as network construction and service assurance, reducing homogeneous marketing competition [4]

Core Viewpoint - The adjustment of the VAT tax rate applicable to telecommunications services in China will impact the revenue and profits of the three major telecom operators, China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom, starting from January 1, 2026 [1][2]. Group 1: Tax Rate Changes - The new regulation changes the applicable tax category for mobile data services, SMS, MMS, and internet broadband access from value-added telecommunications services (6% VAT) to basic telecommunications services (9% VAT) [1][2]. - The definition of basic telecommunications services has been expanded to include mobile data services, SMS, MMS, and internet broadband access, which were previously classified under value-added telecommunications services [2]. Group 2: Financial Implications - The increase in VAT from 6% to 9% for certain services may lead to higher costs for consumers, although the extent of this price increase will depend on consumer demand elasticity [2][3]. - The adjustment is expected to increase the tax burden on telecom companies, but given their state-owned status and market position, the impact is considered manageable [2]. - The adjustment in tax rates is anticipated to contribute to increased fiscal revenue, addressing the growing fiscal pressure faced by the government [3]. Group 3: Broader Economic Context - In 2025, the national general public budget revenue is projected to be 21,604.5 billion yuan, a decrease of 1.7% from the previous year, while government fund budget revenue is expected to decline by 7% [3].

Core Viewpoint - The adjustment of the VAT tax rate applicable to certain telecommunications services in China is expected to impact the revenue and profits of the three major telecom operators: China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom. The VAT rate for these services will increase from 6% to 9% starting January 1, 2026, as per the new regulations issued by the Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation [3][4]. Summary by Sections VAT Rate Adjustment - The new regulations redefine the scope of basic telecommunications services to include mobile data services, SMS, MMS, and internet broadband access, which were previously classified under value-added telecommunications services with a lower VAT rate of 6% [4]. - The adjustment expands the range of services subject to the 9% VAT rate, thereby increasing the tax burden on the three major telecom operators [4]. Impact on Telecom Operators - The increase in VAT from 6% to 9% for certain services may lead to higher costs for the telecom operators, which could potentially be passed on to consumers depending on demand elasticity [5]. - Voice call services, which were already subject to a 9% VAT rate, will not see a price increase due to this adjustment [5]. Financial Context - The adjustment is part of broader fiscal measures aimed at addressing increasing fiscal revenue challenges, as indicated by the decline in public budget revenues and the increase in budget expenditures in recent years [6].