China Law Blog

In other news, according to this new government decree, returning Chinese who have been outside of the country for more than a year, will have to undergo a HIV test in the airport upon re-entry.

Supposedly in effect as of Dec 1, 2007.

Anyone else heard anything about this new law?

The requirement to fill in customs forms when leaving was only (re-)introduced in 2005, as the abolition of 行为报关 . Filling in forms on entry has always been needed, though.

Lo Wu border crossing at Shenzhen/Hong Kong has been the only one exempted from some of the paperwork - health forms, I think.

The health forms have always been required on entry - their content was slightly modified during SARS to ask if you have had any contact with, wait for it, SARS patients.

All I can say is, 'bout time too! My god, that decision alone will save about 4M trees a year. All the more to make Chopsticks with.

This is most def a good thing.

This is very sad news, Dan. Filling in that health form is one of the only pleasures left in China! Where else can you indicate that you have the "Snivels" in a check box at the bottom?? I haven't had the Snivels since I was 4 years old and my mom made chicken soup to help me feel better. Takes me back...

The funny think about all this paper work is that nobody really cares what you write on these sheets. The same with your luggage. You have to let it run through the x-ray but have you ever seen one of the customs officals who had a look on the display?

Given that you typically spend at least 13 hours on the plane coming from stateside (even East Coast! Arctic radiation flights are great!) or Europe, what's wrong with a little quarantine form? 10 minutes off your sleep, if you're smart and use sleep deprivation to readjust your circadian rhythms.

Strangely on my most recent flight (5 days ago) into Beijing, the health forms were handed out on the plane, but nobody in the airport bothered to take them...