Sui Gong Ji Jin Zhong Xin Gui Zi [2020] No. 1
To all employers andindividuals contributing to the Housing Provident Fund:
In order to implement the guiding principles of President Xi Jinping’s directives regarding robust containment of the COVID-19 epidemic, implement work plans by the Municipal CPC Committee and the municipal government regarding COVID-19 response, protect the health of the people, and safeguard the rights and interests of employers and individuals making contributions to the Housing Provident Fund, pursuant to the guiding principles oftheNotice on Providing Sound Housing Provident Fund Management Services During COVID-19 Response (Jian Ban Jin Han [2020] No. 71) issued by the General Office of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development,and the Notice on Ensuring Sound Housing Provident Fund Services During COVID-19 Response (Yue Jian Jin Han [2020] No. 20) issued by the Guangdong Provincial Housing and Urban-Rural Development Department, the following relevant matters are hereby notified:
1. To break the transmission of the virus and minimize the risk of cross infection, the Housing Provident Fund Management Centers encourages all employers and individuals making housing provident fund contributions to, as far as possible, avoid carrying out in-person transactions at service branches before the lifting of COVID-19 response measures. Employers and individuals may opt to carry out transactions through contactless online channels, including our online service hall, WeChat official account, mobile app, the“Yueshengshi” WeChat Mini Program, WeChat Public Services, and Alipay Urban Services. For transactions that cannot be carried out online, please make an in-person visit after the lifting of COVID-19 response measures. Where there is an urgent need to perform an in-person transaction, please strictly abide by all relevant safety measures, make an appointment in advance, and be on time for your appointment.
2. Enterprises in the wholesale, retail, accommodation, catering, logistics, transportation, or cultural/tourism industries facing operational difficulties due to the epidemic may, within 3 months of the lifting of COVID-19 responsemeasures and pursuant to relevant regulations, apply for a reduction in housing provident fund contribution rates or payment deferrals for the period from January 2020 to June 2021 (apart from those months where contributions have already been made). Contribution rates will be raised, contributions will resume, and deferred contributions will be collected, as the case may be, after an upturn in enterprise financial performance.
3. Employers that were unable to register for or timely make housing provident fund contributions due to the requirements of COVID-19 containment should make back payments within 3 months of the lifting of COVID-19 responsemeasures. After all back payments have been made, employers shall be deemed to have made continuous housing provident fund contributions. Individuals who were unable to withdraw funds from their accounts in time may do so within 3 months of the lifting of COVID-19 response measures. These provisions may apply to individuals making voluntary contributions.
4. Persons hospitalized or quarantined due to COVID-19 infection, persons isolated for observation as required by COVID-19 response measures, persons participating in COVID-19 containment work, and persons who have temporarily lost their sources of income due to the epidemic, will not have their failure to timely repay housing provident fund loans uploaded to the People’s Bank of China Credit Reference System upon verification of their circumstances.
5. Borrowers who have temporarily lost theirsources of income due to the epidemic may apply for a housing provident fund loan extension. However, the maximum repayment period after such an extension may not exceed the maximum loan term.
The time at which COVID-19 responsemeasures will be lifted will be subject to relevant notices by Guangdong Province and Guangzhou Municipality. This Notice shall take effect since the date of issuance until June 30, 2021 (subject to change). Guangzhou Municipality will fully comply with all policies issued by the State and Guangdong Province. Any problems encountered during the course of implementation should be timely reported to the Guangzhou Municipal Provident Fund Management Center.
Guangzhou Housing Provident Fund Management Center
February 18, 2020