INCOME TAX EXPENSE

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

INCOME TAX EXPENSE [abstract]

Disclosure of income tax expense

22           INCOME TAX EXPENSE

In 2016, 2017 and 2018, the applicable income tax rate of the Company was 25%.

An analysis of the current year income tax expense is as follows:

	2016	2017	2018
	RMB’000	RMB’000	RMB’000
Current income tax	379,482	355,579	435,991
Deferred income tax (Note 12)	10,827	(20,215)	(146,225)
	390,309	335,364	289,766

The tax on the Group’s profit before tax differs from the theoretical amount that would arise using the tax rate of the home country of the Company as follows:

	2016	2017	2018
	RMB’000	RMB’000	RMB’000
Profit before tax	1,544,009	1,347,132	1,068,800
Tax calculated at the statutory rate of 25% (2017 and 2016: 25%)	386,002	336,783	267,200
Effect of expenses not deductible for tax purposes	1,928	663	19,647
Effect of income not subject to tax	(3,277)	(3,354)	(3,432)
Tax losses for which no deferred tax asset was recognised	5,656	5,561	9,098
Adjustments for current tax of prior periods	-	(3,886)	(2,335)
Utilisation of previously unrecognised tax losses	-	(403)	(412)
Income tax expense	390,309	335,364	289,766