China Import: Restricted and Prohibited
Restrictions and Prohibitions
All countries restrict or prohibit the import and export of certain articles based upon:
- Concerns for health, safety, and public morality (e.g., foodstuffs, agricultural products, live animals, biologic materials, pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, chemicals, hazardous products, and materials deemed indecent).
- Protection of the physical and economic security of the state (e.g., arms, armaments, dual-use technology, radio and television transmitters and receivers, radioactive materials, seditious materials, and currency).
- Economic protection or subsidization of domestic industry (e.g., non-tariff barriers to trade for imports and control of natural resources for exports).
- Enforcement of provisions of multi-lateral trade agreements (e.g., those designed to protect endangered and threatened species of animals and plants and those designed to protect copyright, patent, and trademark holders against infringement).
Restricted
- Alcohol (customs regulations are very strict and recommend that no alcohol is included in shipment)
- Foodstuffs
- Furniture, electrical appliances, audio-visual equipment, computers, printers, light fixtures, foodstuffs, compact discs, digital video discs, videotapes, and cassette tapes exceeding a quantity of 100 items are subject to duty
- Hazardous and other wastes (per the Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes)
- Oriental antiques (must be declared in detail to avoid difficulties in re-exporting these items)
- Ozone-depleting substances (per the Montreal Protocol)
- Prescription drugs
- Some provinces of China impose severe restrictions and high registration fees on dogs. Large dogs are prohibited
- Wildlife controlled by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
Prohibited
The Ministry of Commerce periodically publishes its Catalogue of Commodities Subject to Import Prohibitions, listing articles barred from import; the prohibitions take effect one month from publication of the catalogue. Following are some long-standing prohibitions.
- Alcohol and tobacco (into Beijing)
- Ammunition
- Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (a pest contained in certain wooden packing materials)
- Copy machines as personal effects
- Drugs and poisons
- Firearms
- Fresh food, especially meat
- Material antagonistic to the Chinese government. Authorities inspect film, videos, and cassette tapes
- Opium
- Politically subversive materials
- Pornographic materials
- Some mineral products
- Some products of animal origin
- Some raw hides
- Some used machinery and office equipment
- Used clothing
- Weapons
Note: The above information is subject to change. Importers and exporters are advised to obtain the most current information from a customs broker, freight forwarder, logistics professionals, or local customs authorities.
Source: General Administration of Customs
Article written for World Trade Press by Taylor Holloran, Jennifer Goheen, and Nina Bellucci.
Copyright © 1993—2024 World Trade Press. All rights reserved.