1 Renminbi Yuan (CNY; symbol ¥) = 10 chiao/jiao or 100 fen. Notes are in denominations of ¥100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1, and 5, 2 and 1 chiao/jiao. Coins are in denominations of ¥1, 5 and 1 chiao/jiao and 5, 2 and 1 fen. Counterfeit ¥50 and ¥100 notes are commonplace.

CNY is not traded outside China. Foreign banknotes and traveller’s cheques can be exchanged at branches of The Bank of China. In hotels and Friendship Stores for tourists, imported luxury items such as spirits may be bought with Western currency. Scottish and Northern Irish banknotes cannot be exchanged.

American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in major provincial cities in designated establishments. However, the availability of ATMs is often limited to airports, large tourist hotels and major shopping centres, and credit cards are often unlikely to be accepted away from the major cities.

To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in US Dollars.

Mon-Fri 0900-1600/1700. Some banks close for lunch from 1200-1300.

Date	Apr 07
£1.00=	¥15.29
$1.00=	¥7.73
Eur;1.00=	¥10.33

The following items may be imported into China by passengers staying less than six months without incurring customs duty:

• 400 cigarettes (600 cigarettes for stays of over six months).
• Two bottles (up to 75cl each) of alcoholic beverages (four bottles for stays of over six months).
• A reasonable amount of perfume for personal use.
• 50g of gold or silver.

Arms and ammunition (prior approval may be obtained courtesy of the travel agency used), imitation arms, pornography (photographs in mainstream Western magazines may be regarded as pornographic), radio transmitters/receivers, exposed but undeveloped film, loaded recording tapes and video, storage media for computers, fruit and certain vegetables (tomatoes, aubergines and red peppers), political and religious pamphlets (a moderate quantity of religious material for personal use is acceptable). Any printed matter directed against the public order and the morality of China. Only one of the following electrical appliances per person: camera, portable tape recorder, portable video camera, portable cine camera and laptop.

Note: Customs officials may seize audio and videotapes, books, records and CDs to check for pornographic, political or religious material. Baggage declaration forms must be completed upon arrival noting all valuables (such as cameras, watches and jewellery); this may be checked on departure. Receipts for items such as jewellery, jade, handicrafts, paintings, calligraphy or other similar items should be kept in order to obtain an export certificate from the authorities on leaving. Without this documentation, such items cannot be taken out of the country.