Latest Regulations of Civil Aviation Administration of China

 Lithium battery cannot be taken as checked luggage (Aug. 26, 2008)
According to the latest news from Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), lithium batteries that are usually used in notebook PCs, cell phones and digital cameras cannot be consigned as checked luggage. However, air passengers are allowed to take them in their hand luggage.
This new regulation is released on the basis of OACI (Organization de l'Aviation Civile Internationale)'s prohibitions on dangerous items, to guarantee the safety of air passengers taking China flights. The regulations state that passengers can take electronic products, those using lithium batteries such as watches, calculators, cameras, cell phones, portable computers and DVs in their hand luggage. At most two spare batteries are allowed to be carried as hand luggage and they should be well preserved to avoid short-circuit; but no lithium batteries can be consigned in the checked luggage.
As for some other electric compact appliances, like electric tools or toys that use lithium batteries, passengers should prevent any unexpected startup. Still these appliances cannot be consigned.

 Prohibition of the carrying of lighters or matches (Apr. 7, 2008)
On April 7, 2008, the carrying of lighters or matches by air passengers in China is prohibited by the CAAC, as a security measure. 

 Prohibition of the carrying of liquids by China domestic air passengers (Mar. 14, 2008)
On March 14, 2008, the CAAC announced the prohibition of the carriage of liquids by passengers boarding China domestic flights. The specific regulations are as follows:
a.  Passengers taking domestic flights are prohibited from carrying liquids in hand luggage; such items can be shipped subject to packing being consistent with the relevant civil aviation transport provisions.  
b. Passengers may take small quantities of cosmetics, with a limit of one item of each type; each container shall be no more than 100 ml in volume. All cosmetics must be placed in a separate bag ready for inspection.
c.  Passengers from outside China transferring to China domestic flights may carry unopened duty-free liquid items, in properly sealed transparent plastic bags; relative receipts must be produced.
d.  When purchasing tickets, passengers accompanying infants may apply for free liquid dairy products, provided by the airlines. Liquid medicines necessary for diabetic or other patients will be subject to safety inspection and will be kept by the flight crew.
For passengers taking international and regional flights, their carrying of liquids should still accord with the restriction on the carrying of liquids by air passengers in China.

Related links:
China Flight Schedule
China Airlines

Security Check

 A. Who cannot pass the security check?
Before the departure, passengers along with their luggage must receive the security check. For special passengers such as unaccompanied children, invalids, pregnant women, the blind and deaf as well as criminals, only should they meet the airlines' regulations or be approved by the airlines can they pass the security check. Patients with infectious diseases, psychopaths or individuals whose physical condition may do harm to other passengers cannot pass the security check.

 B. What are hazardous materials by CAAC?
The carrying of hazardous materials can be very dangerous. The CAAC states that hazardous materials mainly include the following categories: aerated solids like polishes, paraffin wax or detergents; corrosive substances like acids, cleaning agents or wet button batteries; combustible materials like paint, thinners, flammable liquids, lighter, adhesion and portable stoves; explosive materials like fireworks, flare bombs, announciators, loaded firearms and gunpowder; radioactive substances like β-ray telescope, radioactive Pharmacy or to-be-transplanted pacemaker; compressed gases like tear gas, protected pressurized spray, air tank or gasoline tank (unless it is empty); infectious materials like vaccines or animal viruses; toxic substances like rat poison.

If passengers have to take those articles with them, they may confer with the airline's freight department.

 C. Specific provisions for hand luggage
The following are articles that cannot be taken with passengers as hand luggage.
A. firearms and equipments for military or police use
a. military or police guns: pistols, rifles, submachine guns, machine guns and baton guns
b. civilian guns: air guns, shotguns, sporting guns, anesthetic injection guns and starting guns
c. Other military or police weapons: batons, daggers and bayonets
d. State prohibited guns or weapons: steel ball guns, tear gas guns and electric guns
e. Imitation of firearms mentioned above: gun samples or guns used as properties
B. Explosives
a. ammunition: bombs, grenades, flare bombs, fire bombs, smoke shells, tear bombs, gas bombs and bullets including blank cartridges, testing missiles and practice ammunition
b. blasting equipment: blasting explosive, blasting fuse, detonating cords, non-electric detonating system and blasting agents
c. Pyrotechnic products: fireworks and firecrackers
d. Imitation of explosives mentioned above
C. State controlled cutting tools: daggers, three-square tools, backsword or double-edged sword that longer than dagger
D. Explosive and Flammable materials: cylinders containing liquefied or compressed gases such as hydrogen, oxygen and butane; white phosphorus, yellow phosphorus, nitrocellulose (including film), oilpaper and their products which may cause spontaneous combustion; potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium carbide, Mg-Al powder that will react with water; Gasoline, kerosene, diesel, benzene, ethanol (alcohol), paint, thinner, retinol and other flammable liquids; flashlight powder, solid alcohol, celluloid and other flammable solids; sodium peroxide, potassium peroxide, lead peroxide, acetyhydroperoxide and other organic oxides
E. Toxic materials: Cyanide, highly toxic pesticides and other toxic materials
F. Corrosive substances: sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, electrolytic batteries, sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide
G. Radioactive substances like radioisotopes
H. Other materials that may harm the flight's safety, such as materials with strong irritating smell and strong magnetic articles that may interfere the normal working of aircraft's instruments.