China to raise wholesale tax rate for cigarettes to 11 percent

[May 08, 2015]  BEIJING (Reuters) - China is set to raise the wholesale tax rate for cigarettes to 11 percent from 5 percent, the Ministry of Finance said on Friday, in a move to deter smokers in the world's biggest maker and consumer of tobacco .

China has adopted greater restrictions on tobacco advertising as well as restrictions on smoking in government workplaces, hospitals and other public places. Critics say the curbs are enforced unevenly. Domestic and foreign anti-smoking activists say China is paying a heavy cost in terms of public health as a result of the tobacco industry.

(Reporting By Megha Rajagopalan and Koh Gui Qing; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

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