China

CHINA CUSTOMS REGULATIONS: WHAT YOU CANNOT IMPORT OR EXPORT

➕ PROHIBITED FROM IMPORTING TO CHINA

The list of things that cannot be imported into China includes:: 

• Various weapons or items imitating weapons, ammunition and explosives;
• Counterfeit currency and securities;
• Printed materials, films, photographs, discs, audio and video cassettes, computer storage media and other items that harm China's politics, economy, culture and morals;
• Various potent poisons;
• Opium, morphine, heroin, marijuana and other addictive narcotic and psychotropic substances;
• Animals, plants and related products with dangerous microbes, pests and other harmful organisms;
• Food, medicine or other items that are harmful to human and animal health, come from dangerous epidemic zones and can spread diseases.

❗️ GOODS RESTRICTED FOR IMPORT

You are allowed to carry items from the list below, subject to the declaration procedure.:  

• Radio transmitters, means of communication protection;
• Tobacco and alcohol;
• Endangered and valuable species of animals and plants (including specimens), their replacement and materials for reproduction;
• National currency;
• Other items whose import is regulated by customs legislation.

➕ PROHIBITED FROM CHINA

There is also a separate list for this category, which includes:  

• All items included in the prohibited import zone;
• Manuscripts, printed materials, films, photographs, disks, audio and video cassettes, computer storage media and other items containing state secrets;
• Precious relics and other cultural relics prohibited from being exported from the country;
• Endangered and valuable species of animals and plants (including specimens), their seeds and propagation materials.

❗️ GOODS RESTRICTED FOR EXPORT

If you are leaving China, please check the quantities of the following items and cash that you are allowed to take out of the country:: 

• Precious metals such as gold and silver and articles thereof;
• National currency;
• Foreign currency and securities;
• Radio transmitters, communication protection equipment;
• Valuable Chinese herbal medicines;
• Cultural relics;
• Other items whose export is regulated by customs legislation.

✈ ENTRY INTO CHINA: WHAT TO DECLARE AND HOW

If you need to declare something, you need to fill out a customs declaration form and hand it to the customs officer, keeping a copy of the document for re-checking. The declaration takes place in the customs control area at the airport. The customs declaration is provided free of charge and is a tool for reporting the movement of goods across the border to the PRC customs.

According to Chinese law, personal belongings, gifts for relatives or friends in China, or items transported on behalf of another person must be declared with the payment of duty (if necessary) if they fall into one of the categories below.

✅ PERSONAL USE GOODS

Residents of China may import goods for personal use duty-free up to a total value of RMB 5,000. Customs will collect duty (20%) on the portion of the item(s) whose value exceeds the duty-free limit.

Non-resident visitors may import goods duty-free up to a total value of RMB 2,000 that they will leave in China. Persons carrying items exceeding the duty-free limit must pay customs duty.

✅ ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO

Passengers can import duty-free 1,500 ml of alcoholic beverages (12% ABV or higher) and 400 cigarettes, or 100 cigars, or 500 g of smoking tobacco.

✅ GOLD, SILVER AND PRODUCTS MADE FROM THEM

Travelers bringing gold, silver and gold products into China must declare the goods if their weight exceeds 50g.

✅ 20 GOODS FOR WHICH YOU MUST PAY DUTY

The following goods are subject to customs duty: televisions, video cameras, video recorders, video players, audio equipment, air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, cameras, copiers, programmable telephone exchanges, microcomputers and external equipment, telephones, radio paging systems, fax machines, electronic meters, typewriters and word processors, furniture, lighting fixtures and food products.

✅ VALUABLE ITEMS (VALUE ABOVE 5,000 RMB)

According to the customs regulations of the People's Republic of China, used laptops and similar electronics are not subject to customs duties, but are subject to customs declaration.

Foreign diplomatic service personnel, foreign students, visiting scholars, foreign contract workers, foreign aid personnel who have stayed abroad for 180 days, and seafarers who have stayed abroad for 120 days are allowed to bring in one item duty-free each time they enter China. Other travelers are allowed to bring in one item duty-free once a year.

Goods worth more than RMB 5,000 carried by tourists that are not listed in the China Customs Table (China Customs — Guidelines — Information Related to Travelers’ Belongings) are not included in the category of personal use items. They can be carried in after customs inspection after paying the tax.

✅ GOODS THAT DO NOT NEED TO BE DECLARED UPON ENTRY INTO CHINA

The following goods can be imported into China, provided that they are for personal use and you do not intend to sell or transfer them to others, and then use them up or export them from China. These include:

• personal belongings, including food, two bottles of alcohol and two cartons of cigarettes,
• wristwatches,
• radios,
• tape recorders,
• cameras,
• movie cameras and similar equipment.

✅ OTHER ITEMS

Passengers carrying animals, plants and/or products made from them, microorganisms, biological products, human tissue, blood and blood products are subject to customs clearance in accordance with the current regulations.

Passengers carrying radio transmitters and/or receivers or protective communication equipment must be cleared by customs in accordance with current regulations.

Passengers carrying items whose import into the country is restricted or prohibited under the laws of the People's Republic of China must be cleared by customs in accordance with the applicable regulations.

Passengers carrying goods, samples or advertising items must be cleared by customs in accordance with current regulations.

Passengers declaring unaccompanied baggage that must be transported separately will be processed by customs in accordance with current regulations.

✈ LEAVING CHINA: WHAT TO DECLARE AND HOW

When leaving China, you must present a customs declaration with the items to be declared for customs inspection. Goods purchased in China for yuan converted from foreign currency can be exported or mailed out of China after presenting receipts for customs inspection.

✅ VALUABLE ITEMS (VALUED FROM 5,000 RMB)

Passengers carrying personal items from China to overseas, such as cameras, camcorders and laptops worth more than RMB 5,000 each, must list them on the customs declaration form.

✅ MEDICINES, FOOD AND HEALTH PRODUCTS

Travelers taking Chinese herbal medicines and Chinese patent medicines out of China may carry the drugs with a total value of 300 yuan without declaration if they are going overseas, or 150 yuan if they are going to Hong Kong and Macao. For Chinese herbal medicines and Chinese patent medicines sent overseas by mail, the total value is limited to 200 yuan; for those going to Hong Kong and Macao, it is limited to 100 yuan.

The amount of medicines allowed to be carried by foreign tourists must be within the limits of "reasonable quantities for personal use" within a 7-day ration. If the limit is exceeded, the transported drugs will be considered as cargo that must be declared at customs.

✅ PETS

According to the Notice of the Ministry of Agriculture and the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China on the Implementation of Regulations Concerning the Transportation of Pet Dogs and Pet Cats, one traveler can only bring one pet dog or cat across the border. To be taken out of China, the animal must have a vaccination certificate and a quarantine certificate. If the traveler fails to provide sufficient information or exceeds the number of pets to be taken out, the customs will report it to the port animal and plant quarantine department for temporary quarantine.

✅ OTHER ITEMS

Passengers carrying precious metals such as gold, silver, etc. must clear customs in accordance with current regulations.

Passengers carrying antiques, endangered animals, plants and/or products made from them or from them, or any biological species, are subject to customs clearance in accordance with the regulations in force.

Passengers carrying radio transmitters and/or receivers or protective communication equipment must be cleared by customs in accordance with current regulations.

Passengers carrying other items whose export is restricted or prohibited from leaving the country in accordance with the laws of the People's Republic of China must be cleared by customs in accordance with the relevant regulations.

Passengers carrying goods, samples or advertising items must clear customs in accordance with current regulations.