A friend of mine will be going to China soon. I was curious about their laws (particularly Bejing) and did a search. What I found indicates that there is not much in the way of blade restrictions there. I find that a bit odd and am wondering if anyone knows for sure.
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Chinese knife laws
- Thread starter Locust
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I saw some stuff on Chinese knife laws a while back, and I just googled it and I assume that's what you did, and the info seemed the same. When you figure that 100mm=10cm=about 5 inches, the laws are actually pretty nice. Also if you figure in that he's a foreigner he's unlikely to be hassled anyway.
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1" = 2.54 cm, so 10 cm is slightly less than 4".
A friend from another forum lives in China and he owns many different sized knives (small to choppers), but just the other day when his latest knife came in, customs called him in to question him about the knife. The knife is being sent back to the U.S even though it was legal to own, and sometimes that's just the way it is. So if your friend decides to bring one, just let them know there's a possibility of it being taken away regardless of what the law says.
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There is usually a difference between laws and how they are inforced all over Asia so expect everything to have wiggle room to either side.
I have lived in Taiwan for a few years and was at first a bit concerned about the knife laws here (pretty much the same as main land China).
The reality (in Taiwan any way) is that unless you are actually using the knife to commit a crime the police just dont care.
I have friends in the police here and that is what they said word for word.
I can even openly carry knives in Taipei with out a second look from any one.
I do know that the mainland is generally not as relaxed as Taiwan so I would probably be a bit
more carfull but as long as ones not being stupid then I dont see there being many problems.
I dont know if there is any differeces in the law regarding impact weapons but here in Taiwan you can carry pretty much anything you want.
I have lived in Taiwan for a few years and was at first a bit concerned about the knife laws here (pretty much the same as main land China).
The reality (in Taiwan any way) is that unless you are actually using the knife to commit a crime the police just dont care.
I have friends in the police here and that is what they said word for word.
I can even openly carry knives in Taipei with out a second look from any one.
I do know that the mainland is generally not as relaxed as Taiwan so I would probably be a bit
more carfull but as long as ones not being stupid then I dont see there being many problems.
I dont know if there is any differeces in the law regarding impact weapons but here in Taiwan you can carry pretty much anything you want.
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from what i could find and have read as long as the blade is under 10cm the law doesn't don't care what kind of knife it is (auto, balisong, double edge etc). realistically unless 1) a cop wants to harass you or 2) you are being an @$$ with it nobody will care what kind of knife you are carrying, especially if it's in your pocket.
Beijing is more strict on this sort of thing and sometimes has security checkpoints at the subway stations last time i was there i just ignored them and nobody bothered me but keep it under 10cm to be sure, worst case senario would be they take it and keep it.
carry a mini flashlight if you are really worried
laws aren't set in stone like in the USA and if a cop wants to harass you here he will find a law worded sufficiently vaguely that he can apply it to you. however it causes him trouble and gains him no reward and could possibly make his superiors mad since harrassing a significant source of income (foreigners) is frowned on.
Beijing is more strict on this sort of thing and sometimes has security checkpoints at the subway stations last time i was there i just ignored them and nobody bothered me but keep it under 10cm to be sure, worst case senario would be they take it and keep it.
as far as i know there aren't any laws against it. one important aspect of china is that nobody really cares what the law says if you are carying around a 7inch peice of plastic,wood, metal in your pocket the cops aren't going to see it, if they see it they aren't going to care unless you were hitting someone with it and they weren't a thief.
carry a mini flashlight if you are really worried
laws aren't set in stone like in the USA and if a cop wants to harass you here he will find a law worded sufficiently vaguely that he can apply it to you. however it causes him trouble and gains him no reward and could possibly make his superiors mad since harrassing a significant source of income (foreigners) is frowned on.
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In my experience most countries in Asia (with few exceptions) are closer to our idea of a "police state". If cops (or the gov't in general) have no beef with you or can't directly profit from you, they're gonna leave you alone unless you do some serious crime. On the flip side, if you manage to get on their crosshair they can and will find a law to snare you. Hell, if you piss them enough they will nab you regardless of the law.
Granted, as a cash-bringing foreigner you will usually be given some leeway. But, if you push it too far you might enter into the "invader" category. God help you if they see you as somebody purposely trying to undermine their culture.
Granted, as a cash-bringing foreigner you will usually be given some leeway. But, if you push it too far you might enter into the "invader" category. God help you if they see you as somebody purposely trying to undermine their culture.