China Customs Regulations

Foreign visitors to the People's Republic of China are allowed to import 4 bottles of wine or spirits and 600 cigarettes along with their personal belongings.

Items such as watches, radios, cameras, and calculators imported duty free for personal use may not be transferred or sold to others.

Gifts and articles carried on behalf of others must be declared to the customs inspector and are subject to duty.

All American citizens visiting China for a month or more are encouraged to register with the U.S. Embassy in Beijing or the nearest U.S. consulate.

(a) arms, ammunition, and explosives;

(b) radio transmitter-receivers and principal parts;

(c) Chinese currency (renminbi);

(d) books, films, records, tapes, etc. which are "detrimental to China's politics, economy, culture, and ethics" (e.g. pornographic or religious content)

(e) poisonous drugs and narcotics;

(f) infected animal or plant products; and

(g) infected foodstuffs.

Note: Videotapes may be confiscated by Chinese customs to determine that they do not violate prohibitions noted in item (d), above. Tapes are sometimes held for several months before being returned. (There is no guarantee that they will ever be returned.)

Export of the following items is also prohibited:

(a) valuable cultural relics and rare books relating to Chinese history, culture, and art;

(b) rare animals, rare plants and their seeds; and

(c) precious metals and diamonds and articles made from them.

Antiques and imitations which are approved for export are marked with a red wax seal.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, improper glazing of some dinnerware for sale in China can cause lead contamination in food. Therefore, unless you have proof of its safety, dinnerware purchased in China should be used for decorative purposes only. Chinese commercial shipments of dinnerware to the United States are tested to conform to U.S. safety standards.

Movie cameras and videotaping equipment should be declared upon entry into China.