(Yicai) May 21 -- China's tax revenue rose in April for the first time this year, mainly because of stable economic growth despite challenges such as lower corporate profits and decreased revenue from import-related taxes.

Tax revenue increased 1.9 percent last month from a year earlier, according to data released by the Ministry of Finance yesterday.

In the first four months of the year, tax revenue fell 2.1 percent year on year to CNY6.56 trillion (USD909.5 billion), narrowing from a 3.5 percent decline in the first quarter thanks to April’s figure, the data also showed.

China's three major tax sources -- domestic value-added tax, consumption tax, and personal income tax -- kept growing between January and April, paring the decline in tax revenue.

But the take from corporate income tax, the second-largest source, narrowed 3.1 percent, mainly as a result of lower corporate profits. The import value-added tax, consumption tax, and customs duties also fell because of the complex foreign trade environment.

Revenues from the deed tax and land value-added tax, which are closely connected with the real estate market, had double-digit declines.

To stabilize international trade, China raised its export tax rebates by nearly 13 percent to CNY900 billion in the first four months. The stock market rally contributed to a 58 percent jump in income from the stamp duty on securities trading.

General public budget revenue, the sum total of tax and non-tax revenues, inched down 0.4 percent on an annual basis to CNY8.06 trillion in the four months ended April 30, while income from national government-managed funds fell 6.7 percent to CNY1.26 trillion. Both narrowed declined from the first quarter.

The revenue from the transfer of state-owned land use rights, the main source of local government-managed funds income, plunged 11.4 percent to CNY934 billion (USD129.6 billion) while narrowing from a 15.9 percent in the first quarter.

China has implemented a more proactive fiscal policy this year to stabilize the economy and ensure people's livelihoods. From January to April, general public budget expenditure rose to CNY9.36 trillion from a year earlier.

With the accelerated issuance of local government special bonds, national government budget expenditure surged 17.7 percent to CNY2.61 trillion.

Editor: Futura Costaglione