????《南華早報》（SCMP）近日發布了兩篇文章稱，中國監管機構正在打擊香港公司到中國大陸從事審計活動的行為。據《南華早報》稱，這項建議將要求公司使用它們在內地的分支機構履行使命。

????此項建議發布前，海外公司可以獲得臨時執行審計業務許可，前往大陸審計某一家特定的公司。這項流程已變得非常麻煩，常常被不予理會。

????現如今，大陸分支機構將必須提供人員進行審計。我認為，這已經成為四大大多數審計的現實狀況。但此項條例如果付諸實施，它將凸顯出主審計師問題，上周我就曾對阿里巴巴（Alibaba）提出這樣的質疑。根據阿里巴巴的風險披露情況，看起來，普華永道（PwC）在大部分審計過程中使用了中國大陸員工。此項建議將確保它們這么做，而且很可能意味著，普華永道中天（PwC Zhong Tian），而不是普華永道香港（PwC Hong Kong）簽署此項審計報告。

????正如《南華早報》文章所解釋的一樣，香港公司簽署大陸審計報告在香港已習以為常，而且，喪失這一特權將損害香港的審計業。我觀察發現，所有大型國有企業的審計都由四大的香港成員所簽發，盡管，我認為，所有的這些審計實際上是由大陸員工在進行審計。

????大陸注冊會計師事務所幾年前就已被允許簽署香港上市H股公司報告，但所有紅籌股被要求使用香港的審計師。此項建議規定可能迫使紅籌股以及像騰訊（Tencent）這樣的私有企業作出改變。

????這篇《南華早報》的文章發現，此項建議規定將摧毀香港年輕審計人才的職業發展機會。假如他們不進入大陸，通過中國的注冊會計師考試，這一點是肯定的。但這也對四大產生深遠影響——工作基本上將轉到中國大陸，正如已經發生的狀況一樣。

????其他受到此建議規定威脅的公司是那些已發展起強大的美國反向收購上市審計業務的事務所。我認為，這些事務所即將被擠出市場，很多它們的客戶或許將在尋找新審計公司過程中遭遇困難。四大中國分支機構和其他中國注冊會計師事務所都將不愿接手。 （財富中文網）

????The South China Morning Post (SCMP) has two articles today that say that Chinese regulators are cracking down on Hong Kong firms coming into China to do audits. According to the SCMP, the proposal will require firms to use their mainland affiliates to staff engagements.

????Prior to this proposal, it was possible for an overseas firm to obtain atemporary audit practice certificate to come to the mainland to audit a specific company. The process was cumbersome and often ignored.

????Now the mainland affiliate will have to supply the staff for the audit. I believe that was already the case in most Big Four audits. But the rule, if implemented, will highlight the principal auditor issue that I raised on Alibabalast week. Based on Alibaba’s risk disclosures, it appears that the PwC was using mainland staff for a significant part of the audit. This proposed rule will simply make sure they do that, and will likely mean that PwC Zhong Tian instead of PwC Hong Kong signs the audit report.

????As the SCMP articles explain, the practice of Hong Kong firms signing mainland audit reports is institutionalized in Hong Kong, and the loss of this franchise will hurt the Hong Kong profession. I observe that all large SOE audits are signed by the Hong Kong member firm of the Big Four, even though I believe that all of them are actually audited by mainland staff.

????Mainland CPA firms have been allowed to sign H-shares in Hong Kong for several years, but all Red Chips are required to have Hong Kong auditors. The proposed rules may force a change for Red Chips as well as private companies like Tencent.

????The SCMP article observes that the proposed rules will destroy career opportunities for young Hong Kong accountants. That is true only if they do not get themselves to the mainland and pass the Chinese CPA examination. But this will have no meaningful effect on the Big Four firms - the work simply shifts to the mainland, as it mostly already has.

????The other firms that will be threatened by the proposed rules are the smaller U.S. based firms that developed a robust business auditing reverse mergers listed in the U.S. I think these firms are about the wiped out, and many of their clients may have a tough time finding new auditors. Neither the Big Four mainland affiliates nor other Chinese CPA firms will touch them.