Laws of the People's Republic of China

    Article 1  These Provisions are formulated in order to show consideration
for the reasonable needs of the personnel sent abroad by the State to work
or study (hereinafter referred to as "the personnel going abroad"), and to
strengthen the control of articles the importation of which is restricted by
the State.

    Article 2  The luggage and articles carried by the personnel entering
or leaving the country shall be restricted to those for personal use and
within reasonable quantities. The personnel going abroad, while entering the
country, shall be given the preferential treatment of exemption from duty
for the luggage and articles they carry along that belong to the varieties
and within the quantities stipulated in the Table of Restricted Quantities
for Articles to be Carried into the Country by the Personnel Going Abroad,
attached to these Provisions as an appendix (hereinafter referred to as "the
Table of Restricted Quantities"). The personnel going abroad, who have worked
or studied abroad, for every 6 months (i.e. 180 days), shall be permitted
to carry into the country duty-free two articles - one article each from
Category 4 and Category 5, as listed in the Table of Restricted Quantities;
the aforesaid personnel going abroad are permitted to enjoy the said
preferential treatment for four successive years at most. This time limit,
however, does not apply to the personnel sent abroad to carry out an
economic-aid program or to fulfil a labour contract. With respect to personnel
temporarily going abroad, who stay abroad for less than 6 months (i.e. 180
days), they.shall be permitted to carry into the country, after paying the
duty, two articles - one article each from Category 4 and Category 5, as
listed in the Table of Restricted Quantities, when they enter the country for
the first time in a year in terms of the Gregorian calendar.

    Article 3  The term "personnel going abroad on a long-term basis", as
used in these Provisions, refers to such personnel who are sent out by the
State to work or study abroad for a period of more than one year. The term
"personnel sent abroad to carry out an economic-aid program" refers to such
personnel who are sent to work abroad on a long-term basis to carry out an
economic and technological aid program signed between two governments.

    The term "personnel sent abroad to fulfil a labour contract" refers to
such technical, engineering, and administrative personnel who are sent abroad,
holding ordinary passports issued to citizens going abroad on public
business, to fulfil a labour or construction contract, signed with foreign
businessmen by a company vested with the right to manage external contracting
and labour business with the approval of the State Council or of the Ministry
of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade. The term "personnel temporarily
going abroad" refers to various categories of personnel, who are sent,
temporarily, by the State to work abroad or study for a period of less than
one year.

    Article 4  With respect to personnel going abroad on a long-term basis,
the Customs shall issue to them Registration Certificate for Duty-free
Imported Articles" (hereinafter referred to as "the Registration
Certificate"). While entering the country, the personnel going abroad on a
long-term basis (including those who are exempted from inspection) shall
declare at the Customs by filling in the Registration Certificate the articles
they carry along, so that the Customs may give clearance after inspection
and verification. The Customs shall strictly control the scope of issuance
of the Registration Certificates.

    Article 5  In case the personnel going abroad on a long-term basis ask
other personnel going abroad to carry into the country articles under
Categories 4 and 5, as listed in the Table of Restricted Quantities, the
Customs shall give clearance after examining "Certification for Carrying
Articles by Entrustment" issued by a Chinese organ abroad and the Registration
Certificate of owners of the said articles, and the said articles shall be
counted in the restricted quantity of duty-free articles carried into the
country by the owners themselves. Articles that exceed the restricted quantity
are not permitted to be carried into the country by entrustment.

    Article 6  In case the personnel going abroad buy articles at a unit in
the country designated by the State to provide the personnel going abroad
with goods paid for in foreign exchange, they shall present their passports,
and the articles bought shall be counted in their restricted quantity of
duty-free articles.

    Article 7  In case the personnel going abroad use their own foreign
exchange earning to buy, for their work-unit, equipment and articles for
scientific research and teaching (not including such general household
electrical appliances as TV sets, tape recorders, etc.), such equipment and
articles shall be exempted from duty and the Customs shall give clearance
after it has examined and verified the certification issued by a government
organ at the department/bureau level or higher. Import duties shall be levied
on articles not belonging to the aforesaid categories in accordance with
the pertinent provisions.

    Article 8  The personnel going abroad must not accept articles to be
brought into or out of the country as entrusted by persons of foreign
nationalities, overseas Chinese, and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, and
Taiwan; neither shall they entrust the aforesaid people with the carrying
of articles into the country.

    Article 9  The personnel going abroad, while entering or leaving the
country, must not carry articles the import and export of which are forbidden
by the State.

    Article 10  The personnel going abroad shall comply with these Provisions
and other pertinent provisions, and go through the Customs procedures
conscientiously. In the event that they wish to sell their personal articles
which have been given Customs clearance duty-free, they shall sell them to a
State-run commercial department that is authorized by the State to handle
foreign goods.

    Article 11  Personnel who are approved to go to work in the regions of
Hong Kong and Macao shall go through the procedures also in accordance with
these Provisions when they carry articles into the country; but they must
not ask other people to carry; articles for them into the country.