Bringing gifts back to China

[pkroger]

My wife's parents are returning to China after visiting us in America on a 6 month visa. They want to bring back some honey, olive oil, and wine. I know they are limited to 1500 ml of wine each, but are there any restrictions on food items for personal use? Is honey considered an "animal product" and subject to any restrictions?

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Peter

[cjr818]

Every time I've entered China they never ask what's in my suitcases. However I'm not a Chinese citizen. Maybe different rules for visitors but that seems odd to me.

[dnoblett]

Honey is not considered an animal product and should have no issue, as well as olive oil. Honey has no germs in it.

 

Personal belongings will be admitted duty free, including food, two bottles of liquor and two cartons of cigarettes. Wristwatches, radios, tape recorders, cameras, movie cameras, and similar items may be brought in for personal use but cannot be sold or transferred to others and must be brought out of China.

 

Gifts for relatives or friends in China, or articles carried on behalf of other, must also be declared.

 

Visitors can bring in an unlimited amount of foreign currency and Chinese renminbi traveler’s checks, and the unspent portion can be taken out.

 

Bringing the following articles is prohibited:

• Arms, ammunition, and explosives of all kinds
  
• Radio transmitters-receives and principal parts
  
• Renminbi (Chinese currency) in cash Manuscripts, printed matter, films, photographs, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes and videotapes, etc. which are detrimental to China’s politics, economy, culture, and ethnics
  
• Poisonous drugs, habit-forming drugs, opium, morphine, heroin, etc
  
• Animals, plants and products thereof infected with or carrying germs and insects
  
• Unsanitary foodstuffs and germ-carrying foodstuffs from infected areas
  
• Other articles the import of which is prohibited by state regulations
  

 

http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/guidebook/customs.htm