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Dodging Hong Kong Sales Tax

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IN THIS LESSON
ID: 1593 Upper Intermediate
For the growing numbers of affluent Chinese mainlanders, Hong Kong is a shopping paradise. That is, until this year, when some new tax policies kicked in. In this lesson, learn about the difficulties of buying an iPad cheap in Hong Kong, as well as a rather sneaky (if legally questionable) little plot to avoid those taxes.
Tue Jan 25 2011 | Dilu, John
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SIMPLIFIED PINYIN ENGLISH  
扫货 sǎohuò to go on a shopping spree
征税 zhēngshuì to levy taxes
据说 jùshuō 'it's said'
电子产品 diànzǐ chǎnpǐn electronic product
我下个礼拜去香港扫货，你们要带什么吗？
wǒ xià ge lǐbài qù Xiānggǎng sǎohuò ，nǐmen yào dài shénme ma ？
I'm going to Hong Kong for a little shopping spree next week. Do you want me to get you anything?
现在去香港买东西开始征税了，你还去？
xiànzài qù Xiānggǎng mǎi dōngxi kāishǐ zhēngshuì le ，nǐ hái qù ？
They started levying taxes on goods bought in Hong Kong now. You're still going?
我查过了，五千块以上才开始征税。我就买些化妆品，衣服什么的，应该不会超过。而且据说只对电子产品查得严，其他的很容易蒙混过关。
wǒ chá guo le ，wǔ qiān kuài yǐshàng cái kāishǐ zhēngshuì 。wǒ jiù mǎi xiē huàzhuāngpǐn ，yīfu shénme de ，yīnggāi bùhuì chāoguò 。érqiě jùshuō zhǐ duì diànzǐ chǎnpǐn chá de yán ，qítā de hěn róngyì ménghùnguòguān 。
I looked into it. They only levy taxes when it's about 5,000 kuai. I'm just going to buy some cosmetics, clothes, etc. I don't think I'll go over. Also, I heard they're only strict about electronics. Other things are really easy to sneak in.
哎，你们谁要去香港啊？帮我带台iPad。现在是年末大甩卖，听说只要三千多。
āi ，nǐmen shéi yào qù Xiānggǎng a ？bāng wǒ dài tái iPad 。xiànzài shì niánmò dàshuǎimài ，tīngshuō zhǐ yào sānqiān duō 。
Hey, who's going to Hong Kong? Get me an iPad. It's the end of the year clearance. I heard they're only a little over 3,000.
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