37 Things China Taobao Can't Ship Internationally

With the rapid development of global e-commerce, more and more people are choosing to purchase goods through online platforms like Taobao. However, it's important to note that certain categories of products cannot be shipped internationally by China Taobao.

37 Things China Taobao Can't Ship Internationally

Due to limited information available in Taobao's English version, many beginners may feel confused. Therefore, in this article, I will provide a detailed overview of the 37 types of products that cannot be internationally shipped through China Taobao. Before making any purchases, please make sure to check and confirm that the desired items are not included in this list.

  1. Various highly toxic drugs, biochemical products, and infectious substances

Example

Such as anthrax, dangerous pathogenic bacteria, medical waste, pesticides, thallium, cyanides, dioxins, DDT, chlorodane, clenbuterol, clenbuterol hydrochloride, arsenic, tear gas, white crystalline, powdery, paste-like items, etc.,

Prohibited Reason

"Catalogue of Prohibited Export Commodities" (Third Batch) and the "List of Toxic Chemicals Prohibited or Strictly Restricted in China.

2. Addictive anesthetic drugs and psychoactive substances

Example

Such as drugs, opium (including poppy shells, flowers, bracts, leaves, etc.), morphine, cocaine, heroin, cannabis, methamphetamine, etc.

Prohibited Reason

"List of Controlled Psychotropic Drugs"

3. Items prohibited from circulation or shipping by national laws and regulations

Example

Such as cultural relics, controlled knives, antiques, various weapons, simulated weapons (such as toy guns), ammunition, national currency (cash, etc.), securities, counterfeit currency and securities, raw blood plasma, forced labor products, etc.

Prohibited Reason

"Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics," "Catalog of Controlled Knives by the Ministry of Public Security," "Firearms Administration Law of the People's Republic of China," "Regulations on the Safety Management of Civil Explosive Materials"

4. Items harmful to Chinese politics, economy, culture, and morality (such as Falun Gong), items involving state secrets, goods and packaging violating the "One China" principle. Such items include publications, books, images, propaganda materials, audio-visual products containing reactionary, obscene, morally corrupt content or related to Falun Gong, computer disks, and CDs.

Example

The carriers of items such as CDs, tapes, and video tapes.

Prohibited Reason

"The Constitution," "Criminal Law," "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of State Secrets," etc.

5. Items that disrupt public health

Example

Include human remains, ashes, coffins, untreated animal hides, untreated animal bones, unprocessed or defatted tiger bones, soil, animal carcasses, animal and plant pathogens (including strains and toxins), etc.

Prohibited Reason

Catalog of Prohibited Export Commodities, First Batch.

6. Animals, plants, specimens thereof, and some natural resources

Example

Rhino horn, musk, tiger bones, animal skins, fur (pelts), saffron, sea cucumber, ephedra, wild redwood, timber, charcoal, forest litter, peat (sod), silica sand, quartz sand, and other natural sands and stones, rosewood, seeds (other breeding materials), flora and fauna.

Prohibited Reason

Prohibited Export Goods Catalog: First, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Batches

7. Radioactive items and various dangerous goods (items with hazardous markings on the outer packaging)

Example

Explosive items (detonators, fuses, gunpowder, explosives, etc.), nuclear materials, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Regulations on the Safety Management of Radioactive Goods Transport, Measures for the Import and Export Management of Civil Explosives

8. Medical waste, chemical waste, industrial waste, etc.

Example

Such as used disposable syringes, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Environmental Protection Law

9. Gases (of any color)

Example

Such as compressed gases, dry ice, fire extinguishers, gas cylinders, inflatable balloons, life-saving devices, deployed automotive airbags, aerosols, gas lighters, gas cylinders for gas stoves, light bulbs, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Impact transport safety and are not accepted for shipping.

10. Explosive Materials

Example

Such as fireworks (firecrackers, crackers, aerial shells, etc.), detonating paper, dry ice, lighters with gas, gas stoves, gas cylinders, firearms, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Impact transport safety and are not accepted for shipping.

11. Flammable Liquids

Example

Such as ink, nail polish remover, paint, petroleum, gasoline, kerosene, diesel, benzene, alcohol, engine oil, camphor oil, engine starting fluid, turpentine, acetone, adhesive (like super glue, epoxy glue, foam glue, etc.), perfume, aerosol insecticides, air fresheners, cosmetics, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Impact transport safety and are not accepted for shipping.

12. Flammable Solids (including substances that are prone to spontaneous combustion, substances that release flammable gases when in contact with water, etc.)

Example

Such as coal, rosin, paraffin wax, activated carbon, titanium powder, coconut jerky, castor bean products, rubber scraps, safety matches (both box and strip types), white phosphorus, yellow phosphorus, linseed oil, metallic sodium, aluminum powder, magnesium powder, solid adhesives (including white glue), stamp pad ink, air fresheners, asphalt, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Impact transport safety and are not accepted for shipping.

13. Chemical Pharmaceuticals, Chemical Laboratory Supplies, Medical Products, etc.

Example

Such as potassium permanganate, sulfuric acid, furan, vaccines, blood products, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Listed in the "Prohibited Export Goods Catalog" (Third Batch).

14. Oxidizers and Organic Peroxides

Example

Such as hydrogen peroxide, sodium peroxide, calcium hypochlorite, potassium chlorate, potassium nitrate, items with unknown chemical compositions, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Impact transport safety, not accepted for shipping.

15. Toxic and Infectious Substances: Refers to items that are easily toxic or infectious during transportation.

Example

Such as insecticides, pesticides, veterinary drugs, herbicides, arsenic and its compounds, mercury and its compounds, cyanide and its compounds, chloroform, benzyl ammonium compounds, raw lacquer, blood, urine, bodily fluids, carbon tetrachloride used for cleaning agents, 1,1,1-trichloroethane (methyl chloroform) and trichlorotrifluoroethane, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), asbestos, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Prohibited for export according to Batch 1 and Batch 3 of the "Prohibited Export Goods Catalog" and the "Pesticide Directory."

16. Corrosive substances (including solid and liquid substances that can burn human tissue and damage metals, etc.)

Example

Such as sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, chlorosulfonic acid, glacial acetic acid, caustic soda, hydrogen peroxide, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Impact transport safety; not accepted for shipping.

17. Various currencies in circulation, gambling equipment, and apparatus.

Example

Including currencies from different countries, gambling devices, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Prohibited for shipment as per the Postal Law of the People's Republic of China and the Regulations on the Import and Export of Goods of the People's Republic of China.

18. Fertilizers

Example

Such as urea, ammonium nitrate, calcium superphosphate, aqua ammonia, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Goods subject to national export quotas are not accepted for shipment via express delivery services.

19. Live animals, perishable items, dairy products, etc.

Example

Such as honey, eggs, alcohol, sugar, food, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Sensitive goods subject to certification and inspection are not accepted for shipment via express delivery services.

20. Goods related to national economy and people's livelihood, subject to state-controlled trade.

Example

Such as corn, rice, coal, cotton, crude oil, refined oil, antimony and antimony products, tungsten and tungsten products, silver, wheat, cornmeal, rice flour, wheat flour, timber, coal, coke, rare earths, zinc ore, tin and tin products, indium and indium products, molybdenum, phosphate ore, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Goods subject to national export quotas are not accepted for shipment via express delivery services.

21. Goods subject to export quota bidding and export license management.

Example

Such as reeds and reed products, silicon carbide, fluorspar (powder), talcum (powder), light (heavy) burned magnesia, alumina, licorice and licorice products, paraffin wax, zinc and zinc-based alloys, automobiles and their chassis, motorcycles and their engines and frames, citric acid, vitamin C, penicillin industrial salt, disodium sulfate, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Goods subject to export license management are not accepted for shipment via express delivery services.

22. Protect forest resources and prevent over-exploitation.

Example

Such as charcoal, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Not accepted for shipment according to the "Prohibited Export Goods Catalog" Batch 2.

23. Gold, silver, platinum, and other precious metal products, as well as other valuable items.

Example

Such as gold, silver, platinum, gemstones, jewelry, pearls, ivory, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Not accepted for shipment according to the "Prohibited Export Goods Catalog" Batch 1.

24. Wireless transceivers, communication encryption machines, etc.

Example

Such as radar transmitters, receivers, and other communication equipment.

Prohibited Reason

Not accepted for shipment via express delivery due to national security concerns and involvement in sensitive documents.

25. Electrically charged items (excluding electronic products with lithium batteries)

Example

Accepted for shipment via land transport.

Prohibited Reason

Sensitive items requiring certification or inspection are not accepted for shipment via express delivery.

26. Rechargeable batteries, alkaline batteries, alkaline battery fluid, etc.

Example

Rechargeable batteries, alkaline batteries, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Impact transport safety and are not accepted for shipment.

27. Electronic products containing lithium batteries

Example

Allowed for transportation by land

Prohibited Reason

Sensitive goods subject to certification and inspection, not accepted for express delivery

28. Magnetic objects (including items with strong magnets such as unmagnetized magnetic iron, magnetic steel, etc., without demagnetization protective packaging)

Example

Allowed for transportation by land

Prohibited Reason

Magnetic materials affecting transportation safety, not accepted for shipping

29. Liquids (regardless of packaging)

Example

Examples include alcohol, moisturizing water, eyeliner, sunscreen oil, contact lens solution, eye drops, saline solution, mosquito repellent, gold plating solution, aluminum paste, glow sticks, mercury thermometers, ice packs, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Due to inability to identify contents, affecting the safety of express delivery, not accepted for shipping.

30. Frozen fresh meat

Example

Examples include frozen fresh beef, frozen beef, frozen fresh pork, frozen pork, frozen fresh chicken, frozen chicken, etc.

Prohibited Reason

Sensitive to inspection and certification requirements, not accepted for shipping via express delivery.

31. Cigarettes

Example

Cigarettes

Prohibited Reason

Due to domestic tobacco monopoly and high taxes in destination countries, not accepted for shipping.

32. Items with sensitive shapes or internal structures that cannot be disassembled

Example

Such as electrical components, electronic instruments, and unidentified particles

Prohibited Reason

Sensitive goods requiring certification and inspection are not eligible for express delivery.

33. Discs

Example

Discs

Prohibited Reason

Sensitive goods requiring certification and inspection are not eligible for express delivery.

34. Rare mineral resources and other natural resources

Example

47 types of goods such as copper, aluminum, and other primary materials

Prohibited Reason

Goods subject to export quotas are not allowed for shipment via express delivery.

35. Food items

Example

Including edible products

Prohibited Reason

Sensitive goods subject to inspection and certification are not accepted for shipment.

36. Medicines

Example

All medications

Prohibited Reason

Sensitive items subject to inspection and certification are not accepted for mailing.

37. Export-Controlled Items

Example

Drones and related items

Prohibited Reason

Items subject to the regulations of the Export Control Law of the People's Republic of China, the Foreign Trade Law of the People's Republic of China, and the Customs Law of the People's Republic of China.

In the era of online shopping, we can enjoy unprecedented convenience and choices. However, it is crucial to understand and comply with relevant regulations and restrictions. We hope that the list of 37 categories of products that cannot be shipped internationally via China Taobao, as mentioned in this article, will help you better plan your online purchasing experience. Before selecting any items, please make sure to carefully read the relevant policies and choose appropriate buying channels to ensure a smooth and error-free shopping process.

You can also leverage BuckyDrop to find the products you want

BuckyDrop covers commodities from all Chinese e-commerce platforms, including Taobao, providing you with a user-friendly platform to easily start and manage your online retail business.

Learn More

BuckyDrop Website

BuckyDrop Blog

➜ Contact Us: marketing@buckydrop.com