Want to send a laptop from the U.S. If the declared value is the real value (let's say $1,000), will I have to pay import tax? If so, how much? If you write that the package contains books worth $20, will they scan and/or open it?
Will using a company like Fedex (instead of USPS, which will then hand it to China Post) bypass this problem?
Or does the declared value with them also have to be lower than some number to avoid the customs tax?

Thanks
n

You will be smacked with the import tax. That wasn't the case before, but then Customs got wise to all of the Chinese students overseas sending home unlocked iphones for "personal use" only to have them turn up on taobao. Even with DHL and FedEx, I've been called when a package was on its way in and asked to declare the contents (I actually had to call my parents and ask what they bought me for Christmas).

This may not happen all the time, but plan for it. I don't know what the specific rates are, but they should be out there on the internet.

thanks for posting.
did you have to pay, then? and if so, how much and for what goods with what declared value?
thanks

assume you're gonna pay. percentage depends upon the types of goods. also expect a handling fee if the logistics company does the processing for you.

i've got a package in transit right now - it was held by Chengdu customs and UPS staff contacted me asking for further documentation, including a declaration that the items within were all mine and for personal use - it looks like i might avoid fees - rather different from previous outcomes when the package has been processed in Kunming.

sssoooo......nobody reading this has ever paid a customs tax on anything?

"it looks like i might avoid fees - rather different from previous outcomes". this means i've paid customs fees in the past. i'm cautiously hopeful that this time i won't have to.

could tell me how much you paid and what percentage of declared value it was?
thanks.

ha, package arrived just now - i paid 120 yuan - 10% of the declared value. no handling fee. this is way better than last time when it was processed here in Kunming.

i have the paperwork from the Kunming-processed package somewhere - i'll post on here again if i can find it.

I have never paid customs (or been asked to pay any fees) on packages sent through the United States Postal Service (which arrive through China Post). A friend told me he always has to pay customs on packages sent through private companies, such as FedEx and UPS.

I should add that this includes a package with a Wii (though that was 2 years ago) and that I receive several packages a year even now and have still never been asked to pay.

Some people theorize it is this way to encourage use of the government-run post and discourage the private companies from having a large market share in China. I have no idea how credible that idea is.