Don't take your Idevice into China!

[pin]

China News Headlines | Hong Kong's premier newspaper online | SCMP.com

SCMP paywall alert. Will post a few quotes.

"Mainland takes a 20pc bite out of travellers' Apples"

"Customs officials across the border have been ordered to step up a crackdown on the smuggling of Apple devices, and people carrying iPhones or iPads are being slapped with an import duty even if they can prove they are for personal use."

"A Shenzhen customs official, who refused to be named, confirmed yesterday that bringing just one iPhone or iPad into the mainland would incur tax. "It's a common misconception that you can get a tax exemption if the device you are carrying is for self-use," she said. "In fact, iPhones and iPads are among the 20 products that are excluded from tax exemption. You need to make a declaration and pay the tax even if you are bringing in only one [device].""

"Most people are not aware of the latest crackdown and many said they had no problem crossing the border with an iPhone in their hands. An iPhone user from Indonesia said yesterday he did not know of the duty."

[bdw]

iphones and ipads in China have no wifi function. Its a government regulation. Thats why there are so many mainlanders buying them in HK and then selling them in China for a lot more than the local Chinese models.

[100LL]

iPad in China does have Wi-Fi... Not everything is the governments fault...

iPad Wi-Fi Models Available in China on September 17

[MovingIn07]

MrMin07 has taken an iphone into china several times .. often in his hands .... is this for real or just a scare tactic?

[pin]

MrMin07 has taken an iphone into china several times .. often in his hands .... is this for real or just a scare tactic?

I'm sure many hundreds of thousands of people have taken their Idevices into China, however this is what the authorities are now claiming. A bit of a joke really.

[imparanoic]

is the chinese govt bias against apple, would it apply to android/rim bb,mw6.5/7 and symbian? as well as other tablets!!

[100LL]

This is mainly for PRC residents and it has always been like this. They were more focused on people carrying bigger electronics (often in boxes) into China and now they also go for the small Apple stuff apparently. A few years ago they had price lists on the border for import "fee" (LCD Monitor $xxx, DVD player $xxx)...

[MrMoo]

is the chinese govt bias against apple, would it apply to android/rim bb,mw6.5/7 and symbian? as well as other tablets!!

Take a minute there champ, Apple is shiny, new and well recognized, all the others are nondescript non-cachet items.

The closest would be HTC but they release too many models.

As 100LL states this is nothing new, watch TVB news you see boats getting caught smuggling disks and other goods quite frequently.

[dtb]

It is a custom of Chinese Gov to tighten everything whenever there is a major event is coming up (This time Asian game in GZ), nothing new.

btw, if you are going to China in the near future, do remember to leave you iPad/iPhone behind unless you are trying your luck for being fined 1000 RMB

[Woodpecker]

It seems kind of ridiculous that all the Idevices are made in China, and they can't bring the devices in without paying a fee.