China uses the usual two-channel system. The thresholds are specific, so check them before you pack.
The channels
Use the green “Nothing to Declare” channel if you have nothing to declare, and the red “Goods to Declare” channel if you do.
If you are not sure, take the red channel or ask a Customs officer. That is the official instruction.
Passengers under 16 travelling with adults do not complete the baggage declaration form.
What counts as personal use
All baggage and personal articles must be for personal use and within a reasonable quantity. Quantity is what separates personal effects from an import.
Declare above these amounts
- Alcohol: 1,500ml or more of alcoholic drinks at 12% alcohol or above.
- Cigarettes: 400 or more.
- Cigars: 100 or more.
- Tobacco: 500g or more.
- Cash: RMB 20,000 or above, or foreign currency in cash equivalent to US$5,000 or above.
Renminbi has a hard limit
The limit of RMB you may bring into or take out of China is 20,000 yuan. The official guidance says the exceeding part is prohibited.
Foreign currency over the equivalent of US$5,000 is a declaration requirement. Renminbi over 20,000 yuan is a limit, and declaring more will not make it allowed.
A declaration threshold is a different promise from an allowance. China’s is the only row in that table stating the first.