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Regulations of the General Administration of Customs of the PRC on the Import and Export of Articles by Diplomatic Missi

Article 8. The diplomatic bag of a mission, whether outbound or incoming, shall be released by Customs without inspection. The diplomatic bag shall be sealed and bear visible external marks of its character, and may contain only diplomatic documents and articles intended for official use.

A diplomatic courier, when conveying a diplomatic bag, shall be provided with a courier certificate issued by the competent authorities of the sending State. The captain of a commercial aircraft may be entrusted with the task of conveying a diplomatic bag for a mission, but he shall be provided with an official document issued by the consigning State (indicating the number of packages constituting the bag). Where the diplomatic bag is conveyed by the captain of a commercial aircraft or through consignment shipping, the mission shall send a staff member to complete the procedures for transfer, collection or despatch.

Article 9. Members of the administrative and technical staff and service staff of missions shall, if they are not citizens or permanent residents of China, make written declarations to Customs of personal effects to be carried or conveyed into China, including articles intended for their establishment in China which are imported within six months of the time of installation of the staff members. These items shall be released duty free by Customs after examination and verification that the quantity of the items does not exceed that required for direct use by the persons concerned (except for motor vehicles, in which case there shall be a limit of one per family). Personal effects declared for carriage or conveyance out of China shall be released by Customs after examination and verification.

Articles for personal use mailed into or out of China by the mission staff mentioned in the previous paragraph shall be handled by Customs in accordance with the relevant provisions on private postal articles.

Articles for personal use conveyed into China through consignment shipping during the tenure of office of the mission staff mentioned in the first paragraph of this Article shall be handled by Customs in accordance with the provisions of the second paragraph of this Article.

Article 10. Articles for official use and mailbags of the offices of organizations of the United Nations and its special agencies and representative offices in China of other international organizations and articles for personal use conveyed into or out of China by their representatives and member of their administrative and technical staff and service staff, their spouses and children who have not yet attained majority living with them shall be handled by who Customs in accordance with the relevant international conventions to which China has acceded and in accordance with the agreements China has concluded with the international organizations concerned. Matters not covered in these conventions and agreements shall be dealt with having reference to the relevant provisions of these Regulations.

Article 11. Articles for official use and consular bags imported or exported by foreign consulates in China and articles for personal use conveyed into or out of China by consular officers and members of consular staff, their spouses and children who have not yet attained majority living with them shall be handled by Customs in accordance with the relevant international conventions to which China has acceded and in accordance with the agreements China has concluded with the countries concerned. Matters not covered in these conventions and agreements shall be dealt with having reference to the relevant provisions of these Regulations on a reciprocal basis.

Article 12. These Regulations shall take effect from the date of promulgation.

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