The 48^th Annual Meeting of the Study Group on Asian Tax Administrations and Research (SGATAR) was successfully held between 13^th and 15^th of November, in Hangzhou, China. Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and other delegates totalling 160 participants from 16 Asia Pacific tax administrations, have gathered in the Meeting, and Mr. Zayaabal Batjargal, Deputy Commissioner, led the delegates of eight members from the Mongolian Tax Authority (MTA).

The Annual Meeting also facilitated bilateral meetings between the member tax administrations, where Mr. Zayaabal Batjargal, Deputy Commissioner, had bilateral meetings with Mr. Sun Ruibiao, Deputy Commissioner of the State Administration of Taxation of People’s Republic of China, and Mr. Isaya Muto, Deputy Commissioner of the National Tax Agency of Japan. The main topics of the meetings were about deepening bilateral and multilateral cooperation and opportunities for capacity building.

The Annual Meeting was structured in two parts, the Head of Delegates (HOD) meetings and the working group delegates meetings, where each delegate has delivered a presentation.

The HOD meeting revolved around the four main areas:

o   Tax Reform;

o   Ease of doing business;

o   Capacity Building; and

o   Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooperation Mechanism (BRITACOM).

Deputy Commissioner Zayaabal Batjargal delivered his speech on the MTA’s current stance on Mongolian tax reform, implementation of Tax Administration Information System (TAIS), and Mongolia’s commitment to the Inclusive Framework on BEPS and Global Forum during the HOD meeting. The working group delegates have delivered their presentations on three topics, which are:

·     Implementing the OECD/G20 BEPS package;

·     Implementation of Common Reporting Standard; and

·     The Role of Tax Service Providers.

On the event of the SGATAR night, as a tradition, performers from each member country presented their cultural demonstrations. MTA showed a traditional dance “Joroon Joroo”, which was performed by Mr. Amarbayasgalan Janchivdorj, state tax inspector of Dornogovi Tax Office, and Ms. Khulan Erdembileg from Chingeltei Tax Office.