I want to buy an iMac the next time I'm in Hong Kong (because its about 2000 Yuan cheaper than in Kunming).

Question: What are the taxes I have to pay when I cross the border back into mainland China with my new computer? Are they the same as Apple dealers pay here? (i.e. is it going to cost me 2000 yuan to bring it through customs?)

I can't provide you with any direct answers, Manning, but i can say that the Chinese authorities seem remarkably inconsistent on this one. In addition, i'd say you'd find it hard to get a straight answer regarding current policy.

You're right that Macs are considerably cheaper outside of the mainland, but i think you're also right to be concerned about being hit by some sort of import fee.

Businessmen (including myself, in a past life) troop back and forth across that border all the time carrying notebook computers. But as soon as you start carrying or shipping desktop machines, things seem to change. A friend of mine who shipped his machine from Hong Kong to Shanghai for a business trip found it impounded by customs, and was unable to lay his hands on it for the duration of his visit, hampering his work severely. On the other hand, the laptop he brought in was no problem.

So, i'd say one solution open to you is to pick up a MacBook instead :) Alternatively, shed all the packaging, and claim you bought the machine in the mainland :)

So far as a place to buy goes, check out New Vision www.newvision.com.hk/NVshops.html - they have several shops in HK, and are considered the most knowledgeable and well-stocked Apple dealers in the HKSAR. I believe they have a shop on Wellington Street.

As an exclusive Mac user Iwas very disapointed that to find up to a 30% premium on Macs purchased in the mainland. It's really irritating considering that they are all manufactured in Shanghai. Hong Kong prices are consistently the best in the world for current Apple products (cheaper even than the Bay Area in California becuase there is no 8.5% sales tax!).

Anoher option to a Mac Book is to purchase a loaded Mac Mini. That's what I did and was able to bring back to Kunming in my laptop bag. Any monitor/mouse/keyboard combination (USB) will work and unless you are in need of heavy duty computing power you a great computer in a small package for a great price.

On the other hand when we purchased our 20inch iMac Intel, we bought it in Kunming and paid the 30% premium, but once bonus we got was the equivalent of Applecare thrown. When the video card died at the end of one year we took to a local Apple authorized repair facility and found out that our machine came with a 3 year warranty. The local service was excellent, by the way.

As for bringing large/expensive equipment: to be legal you must declare it on the customs form you fill out and sign when you come into the country where it asks about the value of equiment that will be left in China. I would always answer this stuff truthfully since you definitely don't want to deal with the consequences of being deceptive.

Macs rule!!!