Starting from July 2025, the CCP’s entry inspection will be upgraded

 Direct translation

Starting from July, the CCP’s entry inspection will be upgraded. Insiders: There are fine indicators

 

Reporter : Xing Du / Editor: Shi Fang / Source: Epoch Times / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/0702/2241626.html / Image : Web Screenshot

Recently, many Chinese ports have strengthened immigration inspections, and all carry-on and checked luggage must be checked through the machine. If passengers fail to truthfully declare cash, valuables, or carry prohibited items, they may face fines or seizures, which has caused dissatisfaction among Hong Kong residents and international travelers.

Many interviewees told the Epoch Times that they experienced strict inspections when entering Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Chengdu, and some were even taken away for investigation for not declaring foreign currency or items.

On 1 July 2025, Ms. Luo, who entered Shenzhen through the Luohu Port in Hong Kong, told the Epoch Times that she found that "everyone's luggage, including waist bags and other personal belongings, must be X-rayed that day." During the ten-minute queue, she saw at least three passengers being photographed by customs officers for evidence, and one female passenger was also searched by a female customs officer, suspected of checking for smuggled items.

"I heard them saying that if you bring in more than 20,000 yuan or the equivalent in Hong Kong dollars or US dollars, you will be severely fined if you are caught. The attitude is much stricter than before."

Ms. Luo recalled that when she entered the country from Futian Port a few weeks ago, she also witnessed a woman being intercepted for hiding a large amount of foreign currency in her arms. She was then taken to a small room for questioning: "I heard that places like Guangzhou and Chengdu are also checking very strictly now, and everyone's luggage must go through the machine."

Huang Ting, a passenger from Tokyo, Japan, who returned to Shanghai Pudong Airport, had the same experience. He told the Epoch Times: "Now everyone's luggage must go through the X-ray machine. It used to be very fast, but now it is much slower. Some people's luggage was opened for inspection to see if there were any contraband or things that need to be taxed."

Fang Tan, a Nanjing insider familiar with the customs system, revealed that at present, ports across the country have not only increased the frequency of inspections, but also adjusted the way of handling seized items: "Now things are no longer handled privately, but are auctioned in a centralized manner, and the proceeds from the auction are turned over to the national treasury. It is said that there are fines in various places, and there are rewards for completing them well."

It is reported that the Chinese Customs will continue and strengthen the management of inbound items in 2025. The key regulations include Cash restrictions: Each person can carry a maximum of RMB 20,000 in cash or the equivalent of US$5,000 in foreign currency. Any excess must be reported truthfully, and concealment is a violation; Tobacco and alcohol limits: Those entering within 15 days can carry 400 cigarettes and two bottles of wine duty-free (each bottle must not exceed 1.5 liters); Declaration amount: Resident passengers carrying overseas personal items exceeding RMB 5,000 and non-residents exceeding RMB 2,000 must declare truthfully; Taxable items: High-value electronic products such as televisions, cameras, and laptops must be taxed in full; Prohibited items: Fresh meat, dairy products, fruits, flowers, animals and plants and their products are all on the prohibited list.

Airports such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Chengdu are also called "high-risk inspection ports" by passengers. If you fail to declare or carry prohibited items, you may not only be fined, but you may also be included in the "customs blacklist", affecting your future customs clearance records.

Chengdu lawyer Yang Yan (pseudonym) recalled that when he returned from London, England not long ago and entered through Chengdu Shuangliu Airport, customs officers inspected his luggage for nearly 40 minutes: "They saw that the Rolex watch I was wearing was very new, so they asked me if it was newly bought and whether I had brought other watches. They searched for the watch box in my luggage, but why would I bring a watch box when I go out?" He said, "The couple with me was also checked for almost an hour."

As the entry and exit policies become stricter, an Internet user who is responsible for providing cross-border transportation for passengers wrote in a message online that passengers should check the latest customs regulations in advance and declare truthfully to avoid being blocked or fined when passing through customs. He also called on customs to improve information transparency and set up clearer declaration reminders and guidelines at the customs clearance site to reduce passengers' anxiety and the risk of stepping on the red line by mistake.