_Customs declaration

There are two channels, red and green, in China customs. Take the red one if you have something to declare, otherwise the green one. If you are uncertain which channel you should take, then take the red one.

If you take the red channel, the customs officer will check it to see whether you have to pay duty or you have to deposit the things at the Customs, or whether you can take them into China but have to take them out on your departure. If you take things such as computers, cameras, video cameras, gold and silver, printed or recorded materials, or anything more than you need during your travel in China, or something that you will not take out of China when you leave, you have to fill in the Customs Luggage Declaration Form to declare.

The copy of the form must be retained by the traveler and submitted to the customs when leaving the country. All the items declared on the form must be brought out of China or else import duty will be charged on them.

Visitors are allowed to carry into China a limited quantity of duty-free goods including:

2 liters of alcoholic beverages

400 cigarettes

50g (2 ounces) of gold or silver

US$ less than 5,000

Chinese RMB with a total value less than 6000 yuan

Reasonable amount of perfume

1 still camera and reasonable amount of film
Prohibited imports include: fresh fruit, arms, ammunition and explosives, printed matter,
films or tapes "detrimental to China", narcotic drugs, animals and plants.

Remember: All the receipts of the valuable articles, such as jewelry, jade, gold and silver ornaments,
handicrafts, artifacts, paintings and calligraphy, you bought in China should be kept for the
exit check. Antique are not permitted to take out of China unless certificates for export of
cultural relics from the Chinese Authorities are presented to the customs