Air passengers in Shanghai will not be permitted to take more than two lithium batteries onboard for each electronic item they have, a further step taken by aviation authorities to ensure security before the upcoming Beijing Olympics.

Each item, such as laptops and cell phones, should have no more than two lithium batteries taken aboard, security inspection departments of Shanghai's Hongqiao International Airport and Pudong Airport said, the Oriental Morning Post reported today.

Check-in luggage will not be allowed to contain lithium batteries that are considered flammable, the report said.

The China Southern Airlines Hunan branch cargo transportation department issued a notice on March 13 to ban the transportation of lithium batteries or products installed with such batteries.

Airports in cities of Wuhan, Guilin, Jinan and Zhengzhou will also restrict transportation of lithium batteries soon, the report said.

Chinese airports and airlines have already stepped up security by banning passengers carrying liquids on domestic flights. The move came after two suspected terrorists were caught on a plane flying from Urumqi, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to Beijing early this month.

The suspects, including a Uygur girl aged about 18, had allegedly planned to ignite gasoline that they had smuggled onboard the China Southern Airlines flight.

The liquid ban was part of the country's efforts to tighten security with the summer Olympics just under five months away, the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China said in previous reports.

Jelly, honey and toothpaste are all categorized as liquid and are banned from being transported on planes, according to previous reports.

(Shanghai Daily March 24, 2008)