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Germany vs China Tax Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of tax rates and systems
Tax Rate Comparison
Rate Comparison
Top Income Tax
Germany45%
China45%
Corporate Tax
Germany30%
China25%Lower
Capital Gains
Germany26.4%
China20%Lower
VAT / Sales Tax
Germany19%
China13%Lower
| Category | Germany | China |
|---|---|---|
| Tax System | Progressive | Progressive |
| Top Income Tax | 45% | 45% |
| Corporate Tax | 30% | 25% |
| Capital Gains | 26.4% | 20% |
| VAT / Sales Tax | 19% | 13% |
| Crypto Tax | Yes | Yes |
| Wealth Tax | No | No |
| Tax Treaties | 95 | 110 |
| Currency | EUR | CNY |
The bottom line: Germany vs China
China has the lower headline rate on 3 of the four main taxes (income, corporate, capital gains and VAT), making it the lighter-taxed of the two on paper. Germany runs a progressive tax system, while China uses a progressive one. China has the wider tax-treaty network (110 agreements), which can reduce withholding tax on cross-border income.
- Income tax: identical in both (45%)
- Corporate tax: China is lower (30% vs 25%)
- Capital gains tax: China is lower (26.4% vs 20%)
- VAT / sales tax: China is lower (19% vs 13%)