Natural disasters and corporate tax burden: Evidence from chinese energy sector

Given the importance of energy company in disaster reconstruction and economic stability, we focus on the intrinsic link between natural disasters and energy corporate tax burden. This study examines the impact of natural disasters on the energy corporate tax burden using panel data for listed energy companies in China from 2003 to 2021. We robustly find that the higher the number of natural disasters in an energy company's region, the lower the corporate tax burden. The mechanism analysis suggests that the government, motivated by concerns that energy companies are in business distress and facing financing difficulties, is the mechanism by which natural disasters lead to lower energy corporate tax burdens. In addition, the above effects are more pronounced among energy companies that are larger, have a higher market share, and are subject to stronger government intervention. We provide theoretical basis and data support for post-disaster reconstruction and economic stability.