Jakarta:The 7th Belt and Road Initiative Taxation Cooperation Forum commenced in Jakarta, Indonesia, with over 300 participants, including tax officials from nearly 40 countries, representatives from international organizations, and multinational corporations. The conference, themed "Harnessing Cooperation through Digital Tax Management Building a Shared Future Through Tax Benefits," focuses on enhancing global tax cooperation amid digital transformation.
According to Thai News Agency, the forum was addressed by Bimo Wijayanto, Director General of the Indonesian Tax Service, who emphasized the importance of collaboration in building smarter tax management systems. Indonesia aims to expand its technological capabilities and strengthen its cooperation networks to improve tax management.
Indonesian Deputy Finance Minister Nurcoliso Ibnu Aman highlighted the forum as a platform for exchanging experiences and enhancing tax administration. He called for regular policy discussions and secure information exchanges to tackle challenges in the digital economy and create an efficient tax system.
Bishma Kumar Bhuzal, Director-General of the Nepal Revenue Department, stressed the significance of international cooperation and technological innovation in improving tax administration. He noted the role of AI and cloud computing in transforming the economy and tax systems.
The forum also announced the appointment of Huang Suhua as the new Secretary-General of the Secretariat of the Belt and Road Initiative Tax Cooperation Mechanism. Participants reviewed past achievements under various action plans and discussed future initiatives, including the release of updated tax administration documents and training curricula.
He Yanmei, Chair of the Belt and Road Initiative's Tax Capacity Building Alliance, reported progress on tax capacity building and outlined future goals, focusing on digital transformation and tax certainty.
During the forum's Executive Council meeting, Bimo Wijayanto was appointed Chair of the 7th Cooperation Forum. The meeting approved key product documents to support the forum's objectives.
Established in April 2019, the Belt and Road Initiative Tax Cooperation Forum now includes 38 member countries and 30 observers. The forum plays a vital role in facilitating multilateral tax cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, with previous meetings held in various countries, including China, Kazakhstan, Algeria, Georgia, and Nepal. The current meeting in Jakarta will continue for three days, addressing issues like digital transformation and taxpayer services.