Are you sure? In July I flew with water, mouthwash, etc. in carry-on luggage for both a domestic and international flight from both Beijing and Shanghai. Never dreamed there'd be a problem, and there wasn't. If there was a ban, nobody was enforcing it.

I believe the ban really only applies to alcohol. I remember a few years ago at the security checkpoint there was a huge bin of liquor bottles and several men arguing angrily with the guards about why the stuff they had just purchases in the airport lobby had to be dumped out (or, more likely, taken home by airport personnel).

No alcoholic beverages are allowed, and the seal on any other liquids you take on board must be intact.

Mmmmm. I have carried liquids on domestic flights several times. They open the container and then try to light a small portion with a lighter...
Brilliant of them huh?

When a friend last left Beijing airport, she was told that her 600ml bottle of water was too large; the limit was 500ml. She had to drink a few gulps at the security checkpoint in order to continue.

I've seen many people purchasing duty free liquor; it seems that it would have been a larger issue if they were immediately denied boarding the plane with it.

the ban came into effect after the dalian crash, attributed to someone wanting his family to claim multiple insurance policies and who started a fire using hard liquor / liquids carried in hard liquor bottles.

it has always been possible to buy alcohol AFTER the security check though, so the net effect has been to create an administrative monopoly. which is, of course, illegal, and therefore void. explaining this to airport security personnel is often amusing.

I had a can of beer confiscated by security before entering the boarding gate at Beijing airport recently - but it was only to protect the Duty Free monopoly. I was then able to buy exactly the same can of Qingdao at the Duty Free shop for 30 kuai and take it on the plane.

I have had a bottle of vodka and a can of soda water confiscated leaving Beijing. Actually they weren't confiscated; the security people offered me the option of drinking both, but I wasn't allowed to take them through the security check.

Like most things in China, I suspect the rules have not been applied very strictly.

i remember once the people in front of me at the security checkpoint had to throw out an opened milk pouch and half-drunk bottle of erguotou. when it was my turn they saw my wahaha bottle and said 'open, drink'
then i drank a few gulps and they let me through.

Come on, am I the only passenger who loads up on ice-cold Yanjing (8 yuan) from the vending machines standing sentry aside most of the Beijing airport's departure gates?

I had the same experience as Michael. I bought a bottle of wine at the Qingdao Carrefour a few months ago and security would not let me take it through. I then saw the very same bottle (for a few bucks more) in an airport gift shop and they assured me I could bring it on the plane. I bought it and then brought it on the plane without any problem. Not a bad wine, either.

Mike and I think alike!!
I talked to a friend of mine who works at the Shenyang airport. He said, "the rule was always to not allow it [liquids], but you know... Sometimes, somtimes in China the workers are a little apathetic..."

Question to editor: 无动于衷 means apathetic right?

[EDITOR'S NOTE - JG: Yes, apathetic or indifferent]

Actually this comes a bit late, but this rule is truly applied. It seems more tough on natural products such as vegeoils and others that chinese tend to carry out to abroad.
These natural compounds are difficult to analyze as chemical structure varies greatly. (I've visited on the factory where they build those scanners used at airports) Alcohol doesn't fit to this pic as you can buy it from tax free. All in all, I guess the purpose is to have less stuff to examine.