China Travel Tips #3 : China  

China Travel Tips #3 - Travel guide

China

Travel Tips #3

Payment: Money & Credit Cards

China's currency is the Renminbi (RMB), usually called the Yuan. Ten Jiao make up one Yuan. At present, the Yuan is worth about US $0.12, with slight daily fluctuations. The Bank of China has exchange desks for foreign currency and travelers checks with convenient hours at all hotels, airports, Friendship Stores, and other shopping areas.

Visa, Master Card, American Express, Diner's Club, Federal Card, Million Card, and JCB credit cards are accepted at most hotels and state run shops in the major cities. Travelers should be prepared to pay in Yuan when shopping in smaller shops, at restaurants,
and in smaller hotels.

Official National Holidays

January 1 New Year's Day (1 day off)
Late January and Early February Chinese New Year (The first day of the first month on the Chinese Lunar Calendar, 3 days off
May 1-3 International Labor Day (3 days off)
October 1-3 National Day (3 days off)

Customs Clearance

According to related laws and regulations, the luggage of inbound and outbound passengers must come under customs supervision and control. Passengers should make accurate declarations to customs officials regarding the luggage they carry into or out of the territory. Some restricted inbound and outbound items are listed below:

Restricted Inbound and Outbound Items:

Cigarettes/ Cigars/ Tobacco Products Duty Free Allowance:
For inbound: 400 cigarettes if staying less than 6 months; 600 cigarettes if staying more than 6 months. For outbound: 4 cartons of tobacco products.

Alcoholic Beverages Duty Free Allowance:
For inbound: 2 bottles each not exceeding 0.75 liter if staying less than 6 months;
4 bottles each not exceeding 0.75 liter if staying more than 6 months.

Chinese Herbs & Patent Medicines:
For outbound: Max. 300 Yuan per person to foreign countries. Max. 150 Yuan per person to Hong Kong, Macao. Exceeding the limit on musk and other Chinese herbs and medicines are prohibited.

Gifts Items Duty Free Allowance:
For inbound: reasonable quantity of perfume for personal use

Gold, Silver & Ornaments:
For inbound: amount not exceeding 50 grams. Exporting any of these purchased items (including handicrafts of inlaid gold/silver ware) is only allowed with special invoices issued by PRC.

Cultural Relics:
Items for export should be sent to the cultural administrative departments first for verification and issuing of invoice permits or export licenses.

Electronic Appliances:
For inbound: One each of the following items is allowed: Camera, portable tape-recorder, portable cinecamera, portable video camera, portable computer.

Prohibited Articles:
For inbound: Arms, imitation arms, ammunition, explosives of all kinds, counterfeit currencies/negotiable securities, printed matter, films, photos, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes/video-tapes, CDs (video & audio), storage media for computers, articles which are detrimental to the political, economic, cultural and moral interest of China. Deadly poisons of all kinds. Opium, morphine, heroin, marijuana, other addiction- inducing drugs and psychedelics. Animals, plants and/or products made thereof infected with or carrying diseases

Export: is the same as prohibited articles for import. Manuscripts, printed matter, films, photos, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes/video tapes, CDs (video & audio), storage media for computers and other articles which involve state secrets, valuable cultural relics and other relics prohibited for exports Endangered or rare animals, plant (including specimens, seeds and/or reproducing materials).