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At airport security in China, an officer may pick up your power bank, turn it over, and check the label.
They are looking for a tiny mark on the body: CCC.
If your trip includes a flight within mainland China, those three letters can decide whether the power bank travels with you or stays behind.
And this is one travel detail worth sorting out before the airport, because in China a dead phone is more than mildly annoying. It can be your map, payment method, train booking, ride-hailing app, translator, hotel address, and the message thread where somebody told you which exit to use.
The goal is simple: look at the power bank in your hand and know whether it goes in the bag.
The Short Version Before You Fly
If your itinerary includes a domestic flight within mainland China, check these before leaving home:
- CCC mark: it needs a clear CCC / 3C mark on the power bank itself.
- Recall status: a recalled model or batch cannot go.
- Energy rating: keep each power bank at 100 Wh or less.
- Quantity: 2026 ICAO and IATA guidance limits you to two power banks.
- Carry-on only: power banks do not belong in checked baggage.
- Readable label: security needs to be able to identify the battery rating.
- Protect it: keep it from short-circuiting and follow your airline’s onboard-use rules.
The CCC requirement for Chinese domestic flights took effect on June 28, 2025.
If you remember only one thing, make it this:
Check the actual device, not the Amazon page, the box, or the logo on the brand’s website.
What Is the CCC Mark?
CCC stands for China Compulsory Certification. In everyday Chinese you will also hear 3C, usually said san C.
For domestic flights in mainland China, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) prohibits power banks with:
- no CCC mark,
- a CCC mark that is too unclear to verify, or
- a model or batch that has been recalled.
The important word there is model.
A brand can sell one power bank with CCC certification and another without it. The same product family can also have different market versions. That is why Anker is fine or UGREEN is fine is not a useful answer.
If you are buying a replacement specifically for a China trip, ask the seller for a clear photo of the exact unit showing the CCC mark and model number before you pay. Then check that model against current recall information.
Which Flights Need CCC?
The CAAC rule covers every flight within mainland China, including the domestic leg of a longer international trip.
For example:
Sydney → Shanghai → Chengdu
The Shanghai-to-Chengdu leg is a mainland domestic flight. Your power bank needs to meet the domestic CCC requirement before you board that segment.
For international or regional flights, including routes involving Hong Kong or Macao, do not assume the domestic rule automatically answers the question.
Check the operating airline and departure airport before the trip, especially because airline handling can be stricter than the minimum rule.
Read on: What Else Belongs in Your China Packing List
How Many Watt-Hours Is Your Power Bank?
A lot of travelers know their power bank is 10,000 mAh or 20,000 mAh and have never once cared about watt-hours.
Airport rules care.
If the label already shows Wh, use that number.
If it only gives mAh and voltage, the calculation is:
Wh = mAh × voltage ÷ 1,000
Using 3.7 V as an example:
| Capacity | Approximate Energy | Under 100 Wh? |
|---|---|---|
| 10,000 mAh | 37 Wh | Yes |
| 20,000 mAh | 74 Wh | Yes |
| 27,000 mAh | 99.9 Wh | Barely |
| 30,000 mAh | 111 Wh | No |
The voltage printed on your own device is the one that matters, so do not default to 3.7 V if the label says otherwise.
Carry-On Means Carry-On
Power banks go in your cabin baggage, not your checked suitcase.
That rule matters even at the gate. If an airline takes your cabin bag and sends it to the hold, remove the power bank first.
Many airlines now ask you not to store power banks in overhead lockers. Keep yours somewhere accessible, such as a smaller bag under the seat, and protect it from short-circuiting.
Do not recharge the power bank from the aircraft’s power supply. Airlines can also impose stricter rules on using a power bank to charge another device during the flight, so follow the crew and airline instructions rather than assuming the same rule applies everywhere.
The easiest plan is boring and effective: charge your phone at the gate.
If Airport Security Says No
This is the moment when people discover how emotionally attached they have become to a small black rectangle.
If security rejects your power bank because the CCC mark is missing, unclear, or the model has been recalled, your options depend on the airport.
Some Chinese airports offer services such as temporary storage or mailing. Others may simply require you to surrender the device if you cannot take it away from the checkpoint.
Do not rely on a particular storage period or mailing service unless you have checked the airport you are actually using.
If you are returning through the same airport soon, temporary storage may be useful. If you are flying one-way across China, mailing it to an address or replacing it may make more sense.
Trains Are a Different Rulebook
Plenty of travelers apply the airline rule to trains too.
China’s national railway restricted-items list, which China Railway follows, allows clearly labeled power banks and lithium batteries up to 100 Wh each.
Your China train luggage has its own set of limits, and the power bank is only one small part of what goes through station security.
Renting a Power Bank in China
Sometimes the easiest power bank is the one you do not own.
Shared charging kiosks are common in malls, restaurants, cafés, stations, and other busy places. In Chinese they are gongxiang chongdianbao (共享充电宝, shared power banks).
Usually you scan the QR code with WeChat or Alipay, release a power bank, and take it with you. You do not have to stay near the kiosk — that is the whole point.
With major networks such as Energy Monster, you can borrow at one kiosk and return the power bank to any other kiosk on the same network later. I have used them plenty of times when I forgot my own power bank and was waiting to meet friends with a dying phone. They are especially handy because newer units support fast charging, so even a short rental can give your phone a useful boost.
The exact login, deposit, and payment process varies by operator, and foreign-number or foreign-card support can change. If a kiosk refuses to cooperate, ask staff.
Buying a Replacement in China
If your existing power bank has no CCC mark and you have a domestic flight coming up, buying a replacement in China can be simpler than hunting for the right international-market version before departure.
Use an official brand store or a reputable electronics retailer, then check the physical power bank before leaving:
- CCC mark is clear.
- Model number is readable.
- Wh rating is readable and no more than 100 Wh.
- The exact model or batch is not currently recalled.
The Charging Product I Would Buy Before the Trip
Your wall charger is the easy part of this setup, because the power bank rules do not apply to it. The one I would drop in a day bag is the Anker Nano Charger 30W.
It is a tiny cube with a foldable plug and a USB-C port, small enough to disappear into a jacket pocket. Plug it in at the hotel, at the airport, or on a station bench, and your phone is back in shape before you need the map again. It does not come with a cable, so pack a USB-C cable that matches your phone.
Before You Zip the Bag
Tonight, flip your power bank over, find the CCC mark, and read the Wh number while you are at it.
While you are packing, sort out laundry, toilet paper, tap water, and sockets too.
Send this to your travel group chat while there is still time to swap a power bank. And if you like everyday China details like this one, the Stellar Chinese newsletter signup is on this page, covering language, culture, daily life, trends, and business.