What Not to Bring
to China
A practical customs guide to prohibited items, common packing mistakes, and goods you should declare on arrival.
Last verified: September 2026
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Do not bring weapons, explosives, illegal drugs, counterfeit currency, deadly poisons, or prohibited quarantine material. Avoid casually packing meat, fresh produce, seeds, plants, soil, or wildlife products. Check medicine ingredients and declare any restricted or over-limit goods. If you are unsure, use the red customs channel and ask an officer.
Absolutely do not bring
These categories are prohibited. This is not a complete legal list, but it covers the most relevant risks for ordinary travelers.
Weapons and explosives
Do not bring weapons, imitation weapons, ammunition, explosives, or similar dangerous items.
Illegal drugs and controlled substances
Narcotics and prohibited psychotropic substances are not allowed. A foreign prescription does not automatically make a controlled ingredient legal to import.
Counterfeit money and deadly poisons
Counterfeit currency or securities and deadly poisons are prohibited from entry.
Prohibited biological material
Do not pack pathogens, pests, animal carcasses, soil, or other listed quarantine-risk material.
Common food and plant surprises
Travelers are often caught out by ordinary-looking snacks, gifts, and natural products. Do not assume sealed packaging makes them acceptable.
Meat and animal products
Dried meat, sausages, fresh milk, butter, and many other animal products may be prohibited without the required quarantine approval.
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Leave fresh produce at home. Even a small snack in your bag can fall under plant-quarantine rules.
Seeds, plants, and seedlings
Plants, seeds, seedlings, fungi, and similar items may require prior approval and inspection.
Wildlife products
Ivory, giant-clam products, agarwood, and other protected-species products may be illegal or require CITES permits.
Check or declare before packing
These items are not always prohibited, but limits, permits, supporting documents, or a customs declaration may apply.
Personal medicine
Carry only a reasonable personal-use amount in original packaging, with a prescription or medical record. Check controlled ingredients before travel.
Check the full guide to bringing medicine into ChinaAlcohol and tobacco
Use the red channel if you exceed any general inbound limit:
- Alcohol above 12% ABV: 1,500 ml
- Cigarettes (including heated): 400
- Cigars: 20
- Cut tobacco: 500 g
- E-cigarettes: 2 devices, 6 cartridges or combined products, or 12 ml of e-liquid
Lower limits apply when arriving from Hong Kong or Macao.
Large amounts of cash
Declare RMB 20,000 or more, or foreign currency cash equal to US$5,000 or more, under the current passenger guide.
Radio and security equipment
Radio transmitters, communications-security equipment, and similar devices may require approval or declaration.
Commercial goods or samples
Goods for sale, product samples, and advertising materials are not ordinary personal baggage and should be declared.
Animals, plants, and biological products
These items are subject to quarantine controls. Check permit requirements before packing and declare them on arrival.
At Customs: red or green channel?
Your choice of channel is part of your declaration. Do not use the green channel simply because the queue is shorter.
Use the red channel
If you carry declarable, restricted, over-limit, commercial, animal, plant, or biological items, or if you are uncertain.
Use the green channel
Only when you have nothing to declare. Travelers should provide truthful information and cooperate with inspection.
Customs rules and airline rules are different
Customs controls what may enter China. Airlines and airport security separately control liquids, batteries, power banks, dangerous goods, and whether an item belongs in cabin or checked baggage. Review the Flights guide as well as your airline's latest rules.
For power banks, check your airline's latest capacity, labeling, and hand-luggage requirements before departure.