ALMOST 50 show business celebrities in Dongcheng District of Beijing, home to many stars, paid 4.26 million yuan (US$515,284) in personal income tax (PIT) from January to July this year, officials said.The reported income of the 47 celebrities, who were listed as key taxpayers, has reached 15.6 million yuan, according to the Dongcheng District Taxation Bureau.China has stepped up its efforts to curb tax evasion by the rich. Last month, Liu Xiaoqing, a famous film actress, was arrested on charges of tax evasion. According to local taxation authorities, most of the celebrities were able to pay their PIT by themselves not later than 10 days after the end of each quarter, while others asked their brokers to pay taxes on their behalf.Taxation officials said a special database had been set up for celebrities listed for supervision.Tax payment terms were signed into their performance contracts due to their increasing awareness of the importance of paying taxes, officials said. Actors Li Xuejian and Pu Cunxi have been cited by authorities as examples of paying their PIT.Some other celebrities in the district not listed for tax supervision also reported their PIT to taxation authorities, an official in charge of the bureau said.(Xinhua)