Laws of the People's Republic of China

CUSTOMS MEASURES FOR THE DECLARATION OF ARTICLES
IMPORTED AND EXPORTED BY DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS AND
THEIR MEMBERS IN CHINA

(Promulgated December 1, 1986 by the General
Administration of Customs)

 

SUBJECT: CUSTOMS

ISSUING-DEPT: GENERAL CUSTOMS ADMINISTRATION

ISSUE-DATE: 12/01/1986

IMPLEMENT-DATE: 12/01/1986

LENGTH: 934 words

TEXT:

(1) When articles for official use by diplomatic missions in China (hereinafter referred to as "missions") are imported or exported and articles for personal use by their diplomatic agents are conveyed into or out of China through consignment shipping or by mail, the missions shall complete in triplicate a Declaration Form for Articles for Official or Private Use Imported or Exported by Foreign Diplomatic and Consular Missions (hereinafter referred to as a "Declaration Form") and submit it to Beijing Customs for declaration formalities upon arrival at the port of enty of any incoming articles or before any outgoing articles are conveyed abroad.  All sections of the Declaration Form shall bear the seal of the mission concerned and the signature of the head of the mission or a diplomatic agent authorised by the head of the mission.

The completion of a declaration Form may be waived in the case of incoming or outgoing small postal parcels of missions or diplomatic agents.  Related procedures shall be completed on presentation to Customs of an official-letter of the mission or the diplomatic identity card of the recipient or sender issued by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

(2) The import by missions and their members of wireless transceivers and related equipment, and firearms and bullets, shall be declared to Customs and a document of approval from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be submitted.  Customs clearance shall be based on the document of approval.

(3) Where articles the export of which is prohibited or restricted by Chinese laws and regulations, such as treasured cultural relics, gold and silver and articles made thereof, are imported by missions or their members, a detailed list shall be submitted to customs for completion of declaration and registration procedures.  At the time of re-export,Customs clearance shall be based on the original Declaration Form submitted when the articles were imported.

(4) Cultural relics carried or conveyed out of China shall be declared to Customs.  Cultural relics purchased from shops in China shall be cleared by Customs after being checked against the overseas sale invoices and identification marks affixed by cultural administration departments in China.  Cultural relics obtained through other channels in China shall be cleared by Customs after being checked against the Export Certificates for Cultural Relics issued by and identification marks affixed by cultural administration departments in China.

(5) If, for special reasons, a mission or its members need to transfer ownership of articles imported duty free, an Application Form for the Transfer of Ownership of Articles for Official or Private Use by Foreign Diplomatic and Consular Missions shall first be completed in triplicate and submitted to Beijing Customs.  The formalities for such a transfer may be effected only afte approval has been given.  Except where a person leaves his post or in other special circumstances, the ownership of a car may not be transferred before it has been used by the importer for two years after its import.

(6) Missions shall send the following specimens and lists in quintuplicate to Beijing Customs for filing purposes:

Any alteration to the above items shall be promptly notified to Beijing Customs in writing.

(7) Within six months of the time of their installation, members of the administrative and technical staff and service staff of a missions, when importing articles intended for establishment, shall complete a Declaration Form and carry out declaration formalities with Beijing Customs.  Articles for personal use imported through consignment shipping by such staff during their tenure of office shall be cleared by Customs after checking against their identity cards issued by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

(8) A mission wishing to convey out of China articles purchased on the Chinese market for organisations at home or for an organisation of their country in a third country shall complete a Declaration Form for Goods for Export and submit it to Customs for inspection and clearance.

(9) The following organisations and their members,when importing or exporting articles,shall go through declaration formalities with local Customs in the places where the organisations are stationed, in line with these Measures:

(10) These Measures shall take effect from the date of promulgation, whereupon the Customs Measures for the Declaration of Articles Imported and Exported by Foreign Diplomatic Organs and their Officers in China which took effect on 1 January 1977 shall be revoked.