The Accounting Law of the PRC (revised on 1 July 2000 ) has highest authority on accounting sector in China. It sets out general accounting principles for all enterprises, including the nature and role of accounting and basic principles. It empowers the Ministry of Finance of PRC to administer accounting affairs and to establish uniform accounting regulations and systems. Such regulations and systems shall be legally binding.

In establishing your company's accounting structure, one of the first tasks is to identify and to reconcile the differences in accounting practices used by your parent company and the rules in China.

The PRC does not exactly follow international accounting policies and guidelines, although it is moving on this direction and so far, many of the rules and regulations are the same or similar. Therefore, it will be important for your organization to realize the differences. Reporting for statutory purposes in the PRC and reporting to your home office may vary significantly as a result in differences in different accounting rules.

Tax deductibility issues, for example, are significantly different between your parent company and your company in China . They are similar to, but may be more complex than, your dealings in most other countries. Capitalization of assets and depreciation can be another area where the PRC accounting rules will likely vary with the rules in your parent company's country.

The Ministry of Finance ("MOF") has been for a long time working to develop a set of Chinese Accounting Standards that are largely in line with International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). The MOF issued its first Standard in 1997. To date, 16 standards have been adopted and others are still under preparation.

A complete list of CAS is set out in the table below.

In January 2001, the Ministry of Finance ("MOF") adopted a comprehensive Accounting System for Business Enterprises ("the System"). The System is based, partially, on the experience of the MOF in implementing the Accounting System for Joint Stock Limited Enterprises and, partially, on the existing individual Chinese Accounting Standards ("CAS") issued over the past few years.

Starting 1 January 2001, all joint stock limited enterprises ("JSLEs") were required to follow the System ¡V except enterprises in banking, insurance, and other specialised financial industries.

When the System became effective on 1 January 2001, the old Accounting System for JSLEs was abolished. Starting from 2001, enterprises besides JSLEs have been encouraged to follow the System as well, with a proviso that State-owned enterprises should get approval in advance from relevant government authorities. In addition, if a parent company adopts the System, the parent should require all its subsidiaries to adopt the System as well.

As of 1 January 2002 , the MOF extended the applicable scope of the System to all foreign invested enterprises excluding those in banking, insurance, and other financial service industry.

Early in 2002, the MOF issued a new separate ¡V though similar ¡V accounting system for Financial Institutions. It must be adopted, starting 1 January 2002 , by all listed and foreign invested banks, insurance companies, brokerages, leasing companies, and finance companies.

Unlisted financial institutions that are joint stock limited enterprises are encouraged to follow the new system. Other unlisted financial institutions should continue to use the old Accounting Systems for Financial Institutions.

The Accounting System for Financial Institutions is similar to the accounting system for general business enterprises. But it comprises principles specific to financial institutions, such as how to recognise interest, repurchase agreements, securities transactions, insurance reserves, accounting by trusts, and accounting by investment funds.

While both are formulated and promulgated by MOF, there exist certain differences them.

First, the application scope is different. Specific accounting standards are mostly applicable to joint stock limited companies, although sometimes the standards apply to other enterprises too. The Accounting System applies not only joint stock limited companies, but also other qualified enterprises.

Second, specific accounting standards only govern certain transactions and events or certain accounting aspects of an enterprise, while the Accounting System covers all aspects of an enterprise's transactions and events.

Third, the accounting standards are more general, with no stipulations on how accounting records should be made. By comparison, stipulations in the Accounting System are more specific, giving detailed rules on the accounts and instructions for use.

(a) Accounting Entity
An accounting entity can be an enterprise, an enterprise group or the accounting department of an enterprise.

(b) Continuity Postulate
The Accounting System stipulates that, under normal circumstances, the accounting treatment to be adopted by enterprises should be based on continuity postulate. For instance, the historical costing method is used for the assets and liabilities of an enterprise, and historical cost is used for the depreciation method of fixed assets.

(c) Accounting Period and Accounting Year
An enterprise should account for its transactions or events and prepare financial statements in distinct accounting periods. Accounting periods may be a year, half year, a quarter or a month, commencing on the first day thereof according to the calendar year.

(d) Measurement Currency and Reporting Currency
Renminbi is the reporting currency of enterprises. While a certain foreign currency may be used as the reporting currency for enterprises which frequently engaged in foreign currency transactions, all foreign currency transactions should be converted into Reminbi when financial statements are prepared and submitted.

Accounting records and financial reports should be maintained in Chinese. FIEs, foreign enterprises and other foreign organizations in China may at the same time use one foreign language together with Chinese.

The general principles guiding and evaluating accounting work comprise three categories.

(1) general principles for evaluating the quality of accounting information;

(2) general principles for recognizing and measuring accounting elements; and

(3) general principles for revising the above two sets of principles.

In 2000, the State Council of the PRC issued Financial Accounting and Reporting Rules for Enterprises ("FARR"). It focuses on financial accounting and reporting matters such as bookkeeping, preparation of financial statements, and reporting practices. It applies to all enterprises other than very small ones that do not raise funds externally.