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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. Chinese customs regulations prohibit
the import or export of the following items:
(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 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.
For Professionals and Business Travellers
Chinese
customs officials encourage the use of an ATA
(AdmissionTemporaries/Temporary Admission) Carnet for the temporary
admission of professional equipment, commercial samples, and/or goods
for exhibitions and fair purposes. ATA Carnet Headquarters, located at
the U.S. Council for International Business, 1212 Avenue of the
Americas, New York, NY 10036, issues and guarantees the ATA Carnet in
the United States. For additional information, please call telephone
(212) 354-4480, or send e-mail to atacarnet@uscib.org or visit
http://www.uscib.org for details.
Information concerning regulations and procedures governing items that may be brought into China is available through the Chinese Embassy and Consulates in your home country. |
