The Chinese legal system is largely a civil law system, with basic laws that apply overall and local administrative rules and laws that vary between Mainland China and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau.
China’s central government is notorious for its rigid national laws and harsh legal system—under Chinese law, you can be detained for up to 13.5 months before formal charges are even filed, for one—so foreign visitors should always strive to comply with local regulations and obey Chinese authorities during their visit.
Read on to learn about China’s local laws for travelers, such as import and export restrictions, drinking laws, and driving laws.