In 2026, does a power bank always need 3C to go to China?

Do not read every flight as “3C is always required.” What CAAC currently states clearly is that flights inside mainland China may not carry a power bank with no 3C mark, an unclear 3C mark, or a recalled model or batch. If you will connect to a flight inside China after you arrive, bring a power bank with a clear 3C mark.

Can a power bank without 3C fly from Taiwan to Shanghai?

The wording of CAAC’s 3C power-bank notice points clearly to “flights inside China.” Taiwan to Shanghai is a regional flight, so the rule for flights inside China is not the same rule as a flight departing Taiwan. An airline can still set a stricter rule, so check the operating airline’s latest notice before you fly.

In 2026, how many power banks can one person bring?

Under the 2026 ICAO rules and Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration rules, each passenger may carry at most 2 power banks. They may only be carried on. They may not be checked.

Can I charge a phone with a power bank on the plane?

No. The latest 2026 rules forbid passengers from using a power bank to charge other devices during the flight, and also forbid using the aircraft power supply to charge the power bank itself.

Can I bring a 20000mAh power bank?

Do not look only at mAh. Look at the Wh (watt-hours) printed on the product. Many common 20000mAh power banks may be under 100Wh, but voltage and design differ by product, so read the label on the unit. For travel in 2026, prefer a product with a clear capacity, Wh, and safety-certification mark, and one that does not exceed 100Wh.

A 150ml bottle has only 20ml left. Can it go on the plane?

Usually no. Aviation security judges the capacity of the container itself. If the bottle is labeled 150ml, it still fails the “each container must not exceed 100ml” rule even if only 20ml is left inside.

Do I need a Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents to fly from Taiwan to China?

Travelers from Taiwan going to mainland China should prepare a valid Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents in advance. The Bureau of Consular Affairs also states clearly in its pre-departure reminders that you must obtain that permit before going to mainland China.

If you are flying from Taiwan to Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, or another city in mainland China, there is one more thing to check before boarding, besides the ticket and the Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents: whether your carry-on bag and power bank meet the latest aviation rules.

Power-bank rules have been updated through 2025 and 2026. From April 2026, Taiwan limits each passenger to 2 power banks. Flights inside mainland China separately tighten checks on the 3C (CCC) certification mark on power banks.

If your itinerary is:

Taiwan → Shanghai
Taiwan → Beijing → Chengdu
Taiwan → Guangzhou → Chongqing
Taiwan → Shenzhen, then a domestic flight inside China

The security rules that actually apply can differ by sector.

This article gathers what you most need to know before flying to mainland China in 2026: the Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, power banks, 3C certification, liquids, carry-on bags, lithium batteries, knives, and prohibited items, so you can check them once before you leave.

2026 China flight boarding rules: start with this table

Item	Can you bring it?	2026 point
Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents	Required	The main travel document for travelers from Taiwan going to mainland China
Power bank	Carry-on only	Not in checked bags; in 2026, at most 2 per person
Power bank over 100Wh	Do not assume you can bring it	After the 2026 rules, confirm with the operating airline first
Power bank without 3C	A problem on flights inside China	Flights inside China ban power banks with no 3C mark, an unclear 3C mark, or a recalled batch
Checking a power bank	No	It must stay in your carry-on
Using a power bank in flight	No	Do not charge a phone, and do not charge the power bank
Liquids of 100ml or less	Depends on the route	On international / regional flights, place them in a clear bag
Container over 100ml	Usually not in carry-on	Even a small amount left inside may fail screening
Lighters and matches	Better not to bring them	Current CAAC travel guidance lists them as restricted ignition sources
Fruit knives, scissors, and similar items	Not in carry-on	Some may go in checked baggage
Spare lithium batteries	Carry-on	Do not put them in checked baggage

What documents do travelers from Taiwan need to fly to China?

For travelers from Taiwan going to mainland China, one of the most important travel documents is the Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, often called the Taiwan Compatriot Permit.

The Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also states clearly in its pre-departure reminders that you should obtain the Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents before going to mainland China. China’s National Immigration Administration lists the Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents as the travel document Taiwan residents use to travel to and from mainland China.

Before you leave, confirm at least this:

The Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents is still valid, and the name, date of birth, and other details match the booking.

Also bring a valid passport. Some airlines, connecting itineraries, or other countries and regions may require a passport check, so do not travel with only one document.

Official sources:
Bureau of Consular Affairs — reminders before you travel abroad
National Immigration Administration of China — guide to the Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents

The most important 2026 change: at most 2 power banks

This is one of the flight changes most worth noticing in 2026.

ICAO updated air-transport rules for power banks in 2026. Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA), under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, then announced that from 8 April 2026, each passenger may carry at most 2 power banks.

And a power bank:

may only be carried on. It may not be checked.

During the flight, passengers are also forbidden to use a power bank to charge a phone, tablet, or other device, and forbidden to use the aircraft power outlet to charge the power bank itself.

EVA Air, China Airlines, Starlux, and other airlines have been aligning with the related rules.

The simplest way to remember 2026 power-bank rules

At most 2 → in your carry-on → not in checked baggage → do not use them on the aircraft → do not charge the power bank on the aircraft.

Under the 2026 IATA power-bank guidance, the principle is that a passenger’s power bank does not exceed 100Wh. An airline may still set a stricter rule, so confirm a large power bank with the operating airline first.

Official sources:
Taiwan CAA — from 8 April, passengers are limited to 2 power banks
ICAO — 2026 power-bank aviation safety rules

“Must a power bank have 3C to fly to China?” This is the easiest rule to get wrong

You will often see this online:

“If you go to China now, a power bank without 3C cannot go on the plane.”

That sentence is not entirely correct.

From 28 June 2025, CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) bans passengers from carrying the following power banks on flights inside mainland China:

Power banks with no 3C (CCC) certification mark, a 3C mark that is blurred or unclear, or a model or batch officially announced as recalled.

The most important words here are:

“flights inside China.”

For example:

Taipei → Shanghai

That is a regional flight between Taiwan and mainland China. You cannot read CAAC’s “3C rule for flights inside China” as if every flight departing Taiwan must have 3C.

But if your itinerary is:

Taipei → Shanghai → Chengdu

After you reach Shanghai, “Shanghai → Chengdu” is a flight inside mainland China. On that sector you must pay particular attention to the power bank’s 3C mark and recall rules.

So if your China trip includes a flight inside China, the safer choice is:

Carry a power bank with a clear 3C mark, a complete capacity label, a batch that is not recalled, and a rating that does not exceed 100Wh.

Official sources:
CAAC — power banks without a 3C mark, and recalled power banks, banned on flights inside China
Air China — requirements for carrying a power bank

Can a power bank go in a checked suitcase?

No.

This is one of the most common reasons a suitcase gets opened again at the airport.

A power bank is a lithium-battery portable power source. CAAC requires that a power bank may only be in carry-on baggage or on your person, and must not go in checked baggage.

When you pack:

Phone ✅
Camera ✅
Laptop ✅
Power bank ✅ carry-on
Spare camera lithium battery ✅ carry-on
Power bank inside a checked suitcase ❌

If you reach the gate and the airline asks you to check the cabin bag, take the power bank and spare lithium batteries out first.

Official sources:
CAAC — rules for passengers carrying power banks
IATA — Safe Travel with Lithium Batteries

5. How many liquids can you take when flying to China? How is 100ml counted?

When you take an international or regional flight from an airport in mainland China, the principle for liquids in carry-on is:

Each container must not exceed 100ml.

All liquid containers go in a resealable transparent plastic bag with a maximum capacity of 1 liter. In principle, each passenger is limited to one bag.

One point is very easy to get wrong:

Screening looks at the bottle’s capacity, not how much is left inside.

A facial cleanser labeled 150ml, even with only 30ml left, may still fail carry-on screening.

For travel, move these into travel bottles under 100ml:

Facial cleanser, lotion, toner, sunscreen, perfume, liquid cosmetics, hair gel, toothpaste, and similar items.

Put anything you need in larger amounts straight into checked baggage.

Official source:
CAAC — liquid rules for air travel

Note: liquid rules on China’s domestic flights differ from international flights

Pay even closer attention if, after you arrive in China, you connect to a flight inside mainland China.

Under the air-travel rules CAAC has published, flights inside mainland China in principle ban ordinary liquids in carry-on, with exceptions such as cosmetics for personal use during the trip.

Cosmetics for personal use on a trip generally must meet this:

One item of each kind, a single container not over 100ml, and a security check.

Toothpaste, shaving cream, and similar items also have corresponding volume limits.

So:

Taipei → Shanghai

and

Shanghai → Chengdu

cannot be treated as the same liquid-screening standard.

If you have a connection inside China, put liquids you do not need in the cabin into checked baggage. That avoids many screening problems.

Official source:
CAAC — air-travel basics: liquids

What about baby milk or liquid medicine over 100ml?

Not every liquid over 100ml is fully banned.

CAAC provides that liquid dairy products an infant needs during the journey, and liquid medicines a person with diabetes or another illness needs during the journey, may be carried as needed after security confirms them.

If you need special medicine:

Keep the original packaging, bring the prescription or a medical certificate, and arrive at the airport early for inspection.

Airlines may also have extra rules for medical devices and special medicines. Confirm with the operating airline before you leave.

Official source:
CAAC — air-travel basics

Can scissors, a fruit knife, or a utility knife go on the plane?

In principle, do not put them in carry-on baggage.

CAAC lists many sharp objects and tools that could injure a person as:

not allowed in carry-on, but some may be checked.

Everyday knives, some professional knives, and tools such as drill bits, screwdrivers, hammers, pliers, and wrenches may all be restricted.

If you travel with:

camping tools, a utility knife, a fruit knife, larger scissors, trekking poles, or a tool set, check the airline’s rules while you pack. Put anything that can be checked straight into checked baggage.

Official source:
CAAC — prohibited and restricted items

Can you take a lighter or matches to China?

It is better not to.

CAAC’s current “air-travel basics” list lighters, matches, cigarette lighters, magnesium fire-starting rods, and other ignition sources as restricted, and state that these items cannot be carried on or checked.

Civil-aviation notices have differed in other years, so what is enforced on the day still follows that day’s airport security and the airline’s latest notice.

The simplest way to avoid being stopped at security is:

Do not put a lighter or matches in any bag before you leave.

Official source:
CAAC — air-travel basics

Can alcohol go on the plane?

If you are flying from mainland China, alcoholic drinks cannot go into the cabin as ordinary carry-on liquids, but drinks that meet the rules may be checked.

CAAC’s current rules:

Alcohol 24% or below, when the packaging meets the requirements, is in principle not limited in checked quantity by this dangerous-goods rule.

Alcohol from 24% to 70%: each passenger’s checked total must not exceed 5 liters.

Alcohol over 70% may not be carried on and may not be checked.

An airline may still set extra limits on the number of pieces, packaging, and baggage weight, so confirm with the operating airline if you are bringing alcohol as a gift.

Official source:
CAAC — air-travel basics: alcoholic drinks

How many kilograms can a carry-on bag be?

For this, do not look only at CAAC rules. Look at your airline and your fare.

Economy, business class, and different fare products can all have different carry-on and checked allowances.

China Airlines’ general limit for one carry-on piece is currently:

Length × width × height must not exceed 56 × 36 × 23 cm, and weight must not exceed 7 kg.

EVA Air economy is also generally one carry-on piece under 7 kg, with a size limit of about 23 × 36 × 56 cm. The rules that apply are still those of that ticket and the airline’s notice.

Do not assume your ticket allows 10 kg just because someone else can bring 10 kg.

Official sources:
China Airlines — carry-on baggage rules
EVA Air — baggage information

If you connect inside China, check the baggage rules again

If your itinerary is only:

Taipei → Shanghai

You usually only need to handle Taiwan departure and the rules of that international / regional flight.

If it is:

Taipei → Shanghai → Chengdu

Kaohsiung → Shenzhen → Beijing

you must also confirm the rules for the later “flight inside China.”

In particular:

the power bank’s 3C mark, liquids, baggage weight, and prohibited items

may be checked again on the sector inside China.

If you connect to a domestic flight in China, packing to the standard for flights inside China is usually simpler.

A 1-minute checklist before flying to China in 2026

Before you leave, check these items:

☐ Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents is with you and still valid
☐ Passport is with you
☐ The name on the ticket matches the documents
☐ The power bank is not in checked baggage
☐ At most 2 power banks
☐ The power bank’s capacity label is clear
☐ Prefer a power bank that does not exceed 100Wh
☐ If you have a flight inside China, confirm the power bank has a clear 3C mark
☐ Liquids and cosmetics have been checked for volume
☐ Knives, tools, and similar items are not in carry-on
☐ Lighters, matches, and other ignition sources have been removed
☐ You have confirmed the airline’s carry-on and checked allowances

Once those are done, you have avoided most of the common airport-security problems.

Before you fly to China, the most important thing is the sector

Flying to China in 2026 is not as complicated as it looks. What confuses people is mixing the rules for “Taiwan to China” with the rules for “flights inside China.”

Remember it simply:

Departing Taiwan → Taiwan’s civil-aviation rules plus the airline’s rules.

A connection inside China → also CAAC’s rules for flights inside China.

What needs the most attention in 2026 is:

At most 2 power banks, not in checked baggage, and not used or charged in flight. If you take a flight inside China, also confirm the 3C mark.

A few minutes before departure, recheck the latest notices from the operating airline and the departure airport. That greatly lowers the chance that baggage is stopped, or that boarding is affected.

This article is compiled from public information from CAAC, Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration, ICAO, IATA, airlines, and government sources that could be checked through July 2026. It is general travel information and a pre-departure reference only.

Aviation security, baggage, power banks, liquids, travel documents, and entry and exit rules can differ by policy changes, place of departure, destination, connection point, airport, and the operating airline. Some rules may also be updated at short notice.

The rules that apply to your flight are those in the latest notices, on the day you depart, from CAAC, Taiwan’s Civil Aeronautics Administration, the airport, the immigration authority, and the operating airline, plus instructions from staff on site.

This article does not guarantee that every rule will be exactly the same on your departure date. Travelers should confirm the latest official information themselves.