The People's Republic Of China National Audit Standards Promulgated In September 8Th

Newly revised People's Republic of China National Auditing Standards (hereinafter referred to as "auditing standards") was announced in September 8th. Auditing department It is said that "auditing standards" is another major event in the construction of audit legal system after the revision of the audit law and the implementation regulations of audit law.

The new auditing standards include the general principles, audit institutions and auditors, audit plans, audit implementation, audit reports, audit quality control and responsibilities, and supplementary provisions, which consist of seven chapters. According to the Audit Commission, "auditing standards" is a code of conduct for audit institutions and auditors to perform statutory audit duties. It is a professional standard for the implementation of audit business and a basic yardstick for evaluating audit quality, and is applicable to various audit businesses carried out by audit institutions.

　　 Auditor Avoidance of activities affecting audit independence should be avoided.

"Auditors should maintain their due audit independence when carrying out audit business." This is a clear requirement set forth in the auditing standards.

In regard to how to maintain "independence", the audit standards show that "there are husband wife relationship, direct lineal relationship, collateral relatives within three generations and close relationship, and direct economic interests with audited units or audit items, and audit of related businesses which have been directly or directly handled" may become a case of damage to audit independence. These requirements should be reported to audit institutions.

At the same time, "auditing standards" clearly stated that auditors should not participate in activities affecting audit independence, and should not participate in the management activities of audited units.

"When audit institutions form audit teams, they should understand that the members of the audit team may damage the independence of the audit, and take the following measures according to the specific circumstances, so as to avoid damaging the independence of the audit." According to the auditing standards, audit institutions may require relevant auditors to evade in accordance with the law, limit the scope of specific audit services carried out by relevant auditors, and add necessary rechecking procedures to relevant auditors.

How to determine the audit items of the audit office? Before the announcement of the auditing standards, it is a mystery to the public. The auditing standards promulgated in September 8th disclosed the audit plan and the confirmation process of audit items.

Among them, the audit institutions should be able to serve as the audit items for the audit institutions.

It is noteworthy that the "auditing standards" clearly stated that "mass reporting and public concern can also serve as a preliminary choice of audit items".

Audit institutions evaluate the primary audit projects to determine the audit items and priorities. The assessment of the importance of the project depends on the importance of the project in the economic and social development of the country, the chief executive and the relevant leading bodies and public concerns, the size of the funds and assets.

According to the auditing standards, the items that should be audited every year by laws and regulations; the items required by the chief executive of the government and the relevant leading organs to audit; and the audit items arranged or authorized by the higher level auditing organs. "Should be regarded as a compulsory audit project". According to the auditing standards, audit institutions can not conduct feasibility studies on required audit projects. {page_break}

The degree of concern can be used to determine the factors that are important.

"Whether it belongs to the question of alleged crime, whether it belongs to the question of laws and regulations and policy prohibition, whether it is a problem arising from deliberate acts, whether the quantity or amount involved in the problem may exist, whether it involves serious defects in policies, institutions or mechanisms, and whether it is a flaw in the design of information systems." The audit standards indicate that these factors can be used as a factor in judging the importance of audit items in the process of audit implementation.

In addition to the above factors, the auditing standards also make it clear that "the degree of concern of the chief executive and relevant leading bodies and the public" is also a factor to judge the importance of audit items.

The report can be used as a basis for judging major violations.

Audit institutions audit behavior is not just "look at the books." The auditing standards explicitly require that "auditors should keep their professional discretion and pay close attention to possible major violations" when carrying out audit business.

The "gross violations" referred to in the auditing standards refers to the acts violated by laws and regulations by the audited units and related personnel, which involve relatively large amounts of money, causing major economic losses in the country or causing significant adverse effects on the society.

How to make judgments on major violations of law? The auditing standards put forward that auditors can make judgments in addition to "abnormal events reflected in specific economic activities, abnormal changes reflected in financial and non-financial data", "clues provided by relevant departments and reports from the masses".

Audit evidence is not valid for the unit being audited.

In the past audit, it was not a case that the audited unit refused to sign and seal the audit evidence. If the audited unit refuses to sign or seal the audit evidence will affect the effectiveness of the evidence, the auditing standards indicate that the auditor has obtained the audit evidence material that has been proved to be violated by the state by the auditor's financial revenue and expenditure, financial revenue and expenditure and other important auditing matters, and should be signed or sealed by the relevant personnel or units providing evidence.

At the same time, when the relevant information and assets of the audited entity may be transferred, concealed, tampered with, destroyed, and affected to obtain audit evidence, when such a situation occurs, the auditing organ shall adopt corresponding evidence preservation measures in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations.

In addition, in the course of implementing the audit business, the audit institutions may not be able to obtain appropriate and sufficient audit evidence because of their exercise of their functions and powers, or if they can not stop the violation of the national interest by illegal acts, they may, in accordance with the relevant provisions, draw the authorities or relevant units that have the right to assist and cooperate with them in accordance with the relevant requirements.

Special matters such as investigation of major economic cases involved in the audit report may not be sought by the audited unit or the auditors after being approved by the principal responsible person of the audit institution.

The Audit Commission said that the auditing standards will come into effect on January 1, 2011. After the implementation of the auditing standards, 28 audit standards and regulations previously issued by the Audit Commission have been abolished simultaneously.