Airports on the Chinese mainland will limit the amount of liquids, gels and aerosols in passengers' carry-on luggage starting May 1 to bring their security rules in line with international practices.

Fluids and aerosols must be in containers holding no more than 100 millimeters, and the containers must be carried aboard international flights in clear, re-sealable plastic bags no larger than one liter.

The new restrictions were issued yesterday by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China.

Each passenger will be restricted to one plastic bag, which will be inspected by security staff, the regulator said.

Passengers on incoming overseas flights must follow the same restrictions, the new rules said.

All liquid duty-free items must be carried aboard in intact, sealed plastic bags, and passengers must produce their purchase invoices.

Passengers on domestic flights can carry packages of liquids up to one liter, but all alcohol has to be packed inside checked luggage, according to the new set of rules.

Exceptions will be made for special items, such as medications and baby milk, subject to verification.

The administration has ordered airlines and airports to supply sufficient drinking water in waiting halls so that passengers don't need to carry their own bottles.

The administration suggested that passengers arrive at airports earlier than they normally do to allow for delays and be prepared for the inspections.

The regulator said the new practices comply with recommendations from the International Civil Aviation Organization. Following the discovery of a plot to use liquid explosives on cross-Atlantic flights in August 2006, the United States and European authorities began prohibiting the carrying of liquids on board aircraft, with a few exceptions.

In early December 2006, the ICAO issued a letter to its 189 member countries, recommending that similar restrictions be placed on flights to achieve a globally harmonized security protocol. Hong Kong airport, the world's fifth-busiest international passenger hub, was scheduled to begin screening liquids today.

(Shanghai Daily March 21, 2007)