Don't believe what the airlines website tells you, it is best to verify your flight and itinerary with the airline/s a few days before you go and also a few days before you come home. China Southern Airlines especially has a bad habit of canceling flights or changing flights with no notice to the passenger.

Customs General Provisions

1. Inbound and outbound travelers must complete a customs declaration form listing the valuables or amount of foreign currency being brought into the country. A copy of the form will be collected upon exit. Except declaration to the customs. other declarations anytime and anywhere are invalid.
2. Travelers shall fill out their declaration forms. If they employ agents for filling. the agents should sign their names on the declaration forms. The agents must obey the Customs regulations and take related legal responsibilities.
3. Travelers should show valid inbound and outbound travel certificates. identity certificate. inbound and outbound goods certificates. commercial certificates and other documents concerned.
4. The copy of the Customs declaration form signed by the Customs should be preserved by travelers during valid time limit. Travelers should show it to the Customs when they pick up goods and make some other procedures.
5. Overseas travelers` luggage should be checked by the Customs when they leave China. At the same time. they should show luggage declaration form to the Customs. The goods (such as camera. video camera) that travelers take when entering China should be taken out of China on the departure. The goods that have been detained by the Customs should be taken out of China by themselves or by agents within 3 months. The goods that are not taken within the time limit will be disposed according to law. The owners of some luggage that has to be transported should go through relevant Customs procedures before leaving.
6. The inbound and outbound travelers who hold diplomatic or preferential visas should show visas to Customs forwardly.

Red and Green Channels
There are two channels. red and green. in China Customs. You shall take the red one if you have something to declare. otherwise the green one. If you are uncertain which channel you should take. then you shall take the red one.
If you take the red channel. the Customs officer will check whether you have to pay duty. deposit the items at the Customs. or allow you to take them into China but take them out on your departure. If you take things such as computers. cameras. video cameras. gold and silver. printed or recorded materials. or anything more than you need during your travel in China. you have to fill in the ``Customs Luggage Declaration Form``. Similarly. if you are planning to leave any sort of significant item there. you should also fill out the form.
A copy of the form must be retained by the traveler and be submitted to the Customs when leaving the country. All the items declared on the form must be brought out of China or else import duty will be charged on them.
Visitors are allowed to carry into China a limited quantity of duty-free goods including:
2 liters of alcoholic beverages
400 cigarettes
50g (2 ounces) of gold or silver
US$ less than 5.000
Chinese RMB with a total value less than 6.000
Reasonable amount of perfume
1 still camera and reasonable amount of film
Prohibited imports include: fresh fruit. arms. ammunition and explosives. printed matters. films or tapes ``detrimental to China``. narcotic drugs. animals and plants.
Remember: All the receipts of the valuable articles. such as jewelry. jade. gold and silver ornaments. handicrafts. artifacts. paintings and calligraphy. you bought in China should be kept for the exit check. Antiques are not permitted to leave China without the proper ``Certificates for the Export of Cultural Relics`` from the Chinese Authorities.
Inbound travelers who take the following goods should take Red Channel:
1. Travelers who take goods listed on the second. third and fourth kinds of Classifications of Travelers` Inbound and Outbound Luggage (excluding the limited cigarette and wine).
2. Non-resident travelers and resident travelers who hold re-entering visas and take more than one such articles as cameras. radio recorders. video cameras. portable video recorders. portable word processors and so on.
3. Travelers who take more than RMB6.000 or gold. silver goods with more than 50 grams.
4. Non-resident travelers who hold foreign cash currency that is more than US$5000.
5. Resident travelers who hold foreign cash currency that is more than US$1000.
6. Travelers who take some goods that are beyond the usage of themselves.
7. Travelers who take the animals. plants and products that are limited by China quarantine laws or some products that have to be checked.
Outbound travelers who take the following goods should take Red Channel:
1. Travelers who take some self-use products such as cameras. portable radio recorders. video cameras. portable video recorders and portable word processors. Moreover. these goods have to be taken back.
2. Travelers who fail to fetch goods that should be taken back or who haven`t finished relevant Customs procedures.
3. Travelers who take foreign currency. gold. silver or concerned products that have no pass certificates or over the limit sum.
4. Travelers who hold more than RMB6.000 (cash).
5. Travelers who take cultural relics.
6 Travelers who take cargoes and samples of goods.
7. Travelers who take goods with values over the limited level.
8. Travelers who take the animals. plants and products that are limited by China quarantine laws or some products that have to be checked.
Other travelers can take Green Channel.
Classifications of Travelers` Inbound and Outbound Luggage
(Amended by the General Customs Administration of People`s Republic of China on November 25. 1994)
Class 1: cloth. clothing. shoes. caps. handicraft articles and other daily necessities that are worth below RMB500 (including RMB500)
Class 2: tobacco. alcoholic beverage
Class 3: daily necessities that are worth above RMB1.000 and below RMB5.000 (including RMB5.000)
Class 4: daily necessities that are worth above RMB500 and below RMB1.000 (including RMB1.000)

Attention: 1. The value of inbound goods on the form is according to the duty-paying value authorized by the Customs. The value of outbound goods is according to the prices on domestic legal commercial invoices.
2. The Customs shall levy duties according to law on goods permitted to be imported or exported and articles permitted to enter or leave the territory.
3. The goods whose value is above the top limit are not permitted taken as travelers` luggage.
The above regulations are listed here as a guide, should you choose to something different (or have done different in the past) the onus is on you.

Vaccinations and Health issues:

Vaccinations when travelling to China are not required, but are recommended. You can decide which you think you will need. Some require you to have them months in advance of your departure date to be effective while travelling but your doctor/local health department is your best source to get answers to any questions you might have.

Avian influenza: also known as bird flu, is a type A influenza virus. It is lethal to poultry and is potentially fatal in humans. Bird flu spreads between both wild and domesticated birds. It has also been passed from birds to humans who are in close contact with poultry or other birds. The strain of bird flu presently affecting Asia is the H5N1 strain. This strain has killed more than 130 people in Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia Thailand, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Eygpt, China, and Iraq since 2003.
Humans who have close contact with sick birds are at risk of infection with bird flu. For example a person may handle a sick bird, contaminate their hands with chicken faeces, and forget to wash their hands before eating. They will then ingest the infected bird faeces. This is the most common way for a human to catch the bird flu. The virus can also survive in raw poultry meat but is destroyed during normal cooking.
There is no evidence that the current circulating H5N1 strain of bird flu can be spread easily from human to human.
Although there have been too few human cases to determine the exact incubation period of bird flu, it would be expected to be from three to 10 days. The symptoms of bird flu in humans are similar to those of regular influenza and include:
Fever
Sore throat
Cough
Headache
Aching muscles.
Bird flu in humans can cause a range of serious and potentially fatal complications, including:
Eye infections
Pneumonia, including viral pneumonia
Acute respiratory distress
Inflammation of the brain and heart.
Be aware of the risk of bird flu if you are travelling to, or living in, a country where outbreaks are occurring in birds or humans. Suggestions include:
Avoid contact with wild or domesticated birds. Don’t go to farms or market places.
Stop young children from putting contaminated objects or their own fingers into their mouths.
Eggshells may be contaminated with bird faeces. Wash eggs thoroughly before breaking and wash your hands thoroughly after handling eggs.
Avoid foods that contain uncooked egg, such as mayonnaise.
Wash hands, chopping boards and utensils thoroughly after handling raw poultry.
Cook poultry at high temperatures. Cooking temperatures of 80 degrees (C) or higher destroy the bird flu virus in about 60 seconds.

SARS: Beijing, with a cumulative total of 2521 probable cases and 191 deaths, has had the largest outbreak of SARS anywhere in the world, followed by Hong Kong, with 1755 cumulative cases and 296 deaths, and Guangdong Province, China, with 1511 cumulative cases and 57 deaths. (Source World Health Organization)

The most common symptoms are fever above 38 degrees (C) and a severe malaise or headache. Chills and rigors are often experienced, followed by a dry cough and difficulty breathing or a shortness of breath. X-rays show blotched areas in the lungs, and blood tests show a marked fall in the number of lymphocytes - or white blood cells - that fight off infection and disease. The incubation period is thought to be two to seven days, although in some cases it has taken 14 days to show. Rashes and gastrointestinal symptoms are uncommon, although some patients experience diarrhoea.
One in five of those infected have to be admitted to intensive care, with at least one organ in difficulty, usually a mild case of cardiovascular failure. One in 10 requires assistance to breathe.
In many patients, higher levels of lactate dehydrogenase are often found; this is an enzyme whose presence in the blood usually indicates tissue damage to heart muscle or other organs, such as the liver. Patients also show evidence of aspartate aminotransferase, a catalysing enzyme whose presence is often used to diagnose the presence of hepatitis or damage caused by a heart attack.

Hepatitis: is a problem in China, making Hepatitis A and B vaccines of the utmost necessity. There is no accepted therapy for Hepatitis C, D and E but the vaccine for Hepatitis B also protects against Hepatitis D. Of approx 350 million people worldwide who are infected with Hepatitis B, 75 percent reside in Asia, China accounts for more than 100 million people roughly 8 percent of the population of China. (Source World Health Oranization)

Hepatitis A is similar to Hepatitis B (not quite as serious) but is transmitted more easily. Usually by close personal contact or by eating food or drinking water containing the virus. Again your health professional will administer the recommended vaccine to offer protection against both Hepatitis A and B. It consists pf three shots within a month long period with a booster given 6 months later. Protection lasts for five years once all the steps have been taken.

Rabies: Asia has a highly disproportionate rate of human rabies, which is a viral disease found in the saliva of infected animals, transmitted via animal bites. Rabies is one of the most fatal diseases known. Once symptoms develop it is almost always fatal if not treated right away. New treatments are available but need to be implemented soon after contact with a rabid animal.
Japanese Encephalitis: also poses a serious risk and is endemic in China, but it's usually found in rural areas because of how it's transmitted. You have to come into contact with a bird or animal that has been infected after being bitten by a mosquito carrying the disease.
Malaria:, while mostly a problem in rural China, can be a risk in cities especially in the South where mosquito populations can be very high.
Typhoid:, does not pose a significant problem in any of the major cities. It is highly recommended to get either the Typhoid Vi Polysaccharide vaccine injection, or purchase typhoid capsules.
If your Tetanus: shot is years out of date you might want to consult your doctor to get a booster, just as an added precaution.

Shopping:

Nothing can prepare you for the Chinese art of bargaining! One trick is to work out your exchange rate so you can know if it would be cheaper to buy it back home. Then start by offering about 1/3rd of the asking price, it's a game that is enjoyed by the Chinese seller and buyer alike but you must know the rules. It's all bluff, you have to be bold and it's not something we are used to in the west when it comes to this style of buying things. The idea is to have fun along the way. They appear offended at your first offer and may start off by waving you away or just being silent (we as westerners hate long pauses of silence), look at it, pick it up, if you spot a flaw point it out. Out will come a calculator and they will type in a price, now it's your turn, increase your price a little, A LITTLE i said! and hand it back to them. You may have worked out already the maximum you will pay, keep that in reserve. Do not take any money out until you are ready to actually agree on a price. In a market be prepared to walk away, as there will be the same if not similar, further down the line, plus you can always use the price quoted by one stall to start bargaining at the next. Remember you have to carry it all back home to your country with you! If you really want to see how it's done get your Chinese friend to do it, sometimes it's best to be out of sight until the deal is done because there is a practice of Chinese citizen and Foreigner pricing.

Tours and Shopping stops:

Using a tour can be a very nice way of seeing a lot more without the hassle of having to organize a thing, the bus picks you up at your hotel and returns you at the end of the day, they get you into attractions quicker through the tour entrance and are not shy at getting their group in the prime position for photo's etc. There are on these trips the obligatory shopping stops.
Having been on a number of these I have purchased quality Silk, Pearls and Jade because each comes with a Government guarantee the item is genuine. These three items are the easiest to fake in market stalls and it takes experience and lots of skill to work out what is real and what isn't. You may find less discount in a good jewellery store but the item is more likely to be genuine. Gold is sold by weight, so if you by a bracelet or chain it gets adjusted to the size you require, weighed and then the price is calculated. These tours usually include a lunch stop too along the way.

What to pack for your trip:

Who doesn't overpack? Unless you have had experience of being a travelling sales representitive none of us have the knack down pat, even now I tend to still take a few things "just in case". Well this is what I now do and have found it successful, of course your mileage may vary.
• Make a list of what you plan to pack, review it and then start crossing things off you don't need.
• Roll your clothes, it stops wrinkles and makes them easier to pack more into a smaller space.
• Disposable razors take up a lot less room than an electric one.
• Save space and weight, use the hotel shampoo. It' replaced when the room gets cleaned.
• Limit your shoes to two pairs, walking and formal and a pair of thongs (or flip flops).
• Are you really going to need to take that suit?
• Ask yourself if you are really going to need it?
• Include an empty plastic bag or two for dirty laundry.
• Do a trial run of packing it at least a week before, and do another cull of items.
• Weigh your bag on a set of bathroom scales

I also take (unopened) a pack of cold and flu tablets, headache tablets, tooth ache drops and a small sewing kit I kept from one of my hotel trips, plus any other medicine I may have been prescribed and have never had an issue on arrival. Now one thing about travelling to China is the clothes are cheap there, unless you are XL or bigger or very tall then you should find most sizes to fit you, there are a couple of links on the forum of places to get larger clothes in Nanning, (shoes are a bit harder to find however), so what I do now is basically pack shoes, socks, underwear, one pair of jeans, one good casual pair of trousers and one shirt, a jacket and toiletries. In goes my camera, laptop, video camera and that's about it. If your first meeting is successful then you can easily leave clothes with your lady for your next trip. I have flown into China with a suitcase weighing 14 kilograms but left with the maximum allowable either taking presents back for family or as we got further in my wife's visa application some of her things too. Be aware that the charge for excess baggage in China can cost a small fortune and they only take cash for this fee. Some people get away with it, and some haven't. so be warned.

My own little tips:

These are just my quick tips: I boil water and save it to use as drinking or for brushing my teeth (cheaper than using Scotch).
I put away each morning all the tea, coffee and sugar and coffee whitener so they resupply when the rooms gets cleaned.
Where possible I buy a carton or bottle of milk as I prefer it to the whitener, and also get my own stock of coke, water etc.
In some of the lesser star hotels you get sheets of toilet paper rather than a roll so it's handier to buy one to have on hand.
I lock away my original documents and suitcase and only carry a photocopy of my passport and visa page.
The pack of tissues you get (and pay for) when you have a meal I carry with me as not all public toilets have paper.
It is not uncommon to have strange women knock on your door late at night "looking" for work, don't let them in.

And finally:

China has strict laws on pornography and censorship so if taking a lap top make certain there is nothing on it that could be misunderstood. Back it up and leave those on a disc at home. Even remove bookmarks to sites that may be "sensitive" to the Chinese laws, Same with books, Lonely Planet reported recently that people with guide books that showed Taiwan as a separate country in the maps section were being consficated.

THERE HAS BEEN QUITE A BIT OF DISCUSSION ON THE FORUM ABOUT THIS BUT.....
IT IS THE LAW OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA: THAT IF NOT STAYING AT A HOTEL THEN YOU MUST REGISTER AT THE PBS WHERE YOU ARE STAYING WITHIN 72 HOURS. REGARDLESS OF WHAT ANY FRIEND OF A FRIEND, OR EVEN IF A LOCAL POLICEMAN FRIEND OF THE FAMILY SAYS OPPOSITE, THEY WILL SOON DISAPPEAR IF YOU GET INTO TROUBLE. IT CAN AFFECT YOUR VISA IN BEING ABLE TO RETURN AND BRING WITH IT A FINE. THE PIECE OF PAPER GIVEN TO YOU WHEN YOU REGISTER IS VERY HANDY TO HAVE WHEN APPLYING FOR YOUR WIFE'S VISA AS PROOF OF VISIT AND RELATIONSHIP.
A HOTEL WILL DO THE REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR YOU WHEN YOU CHECK IN BUT ANYWHERE PRIVATE YOU STAY THEN THE ONUS IS ON YOU. THE EX-PATS HAVE ENOUGH DIFFICULTY DEALING WITH VISA'S AND PERMITS TO LIVE THERE, FOREIGNERS COMING IN AND DOING THE WRONG THING ALSO UPSETS THIS STATUS QUO.
IF ANYONE TELLS YOU TO NOT WORRY ABOUT THEN I STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU QUESTION ALL ADVICE THEY GIVE YOU BECAUSE THE ARE TOTALLY 100% WRONG. A FEW MORE GETTING CAUGHT AND FINED, AND WHO KNOWS MAYBE EVEN SOME TIME IN A CHINESE JAIL MIGHT MAKE THEM WAKE UP.