Only left hand drive vehicles are allowed. Even though in some cases right hand drive vehicles are imported, it is impossible to register and use them on the roads. Also diesel motor cars and motorcycles are prohibited in China.
To get a car shipped into China, you will need to pay all import duties, VAT and sales taxes. The amount of these payments depends on the type and size of your car. You should be aware that personal vehicles are considered a luxury in China, so the import duties can be as high as 200% of the value of the car.
Holders of Red Diplomatic passports and Red People’s Republic of China residence cards can import their vehicles duty free.
To decide whether you should import your car you should see if you meet certain criteria for example, Chinese residence status. Only legal residents are allowed to import cars. So for holders of a business visa or a "F" tourist visa or a "L" visa, importing a car is not an option. Only holders of "Z" visas - permanent residence cards, can import a vehicle. In addition, not everyone who qualifies as residence can bring in a vehicle either, only those who have" foreign expert status" which is provided by the PSB (Public Security Bureau) and the visa departments. Importing a car for personal use in China is only possible if all the requirements are met and only under certain circumstances. Returning Chinese citizens are allowed to import their vehicle only if they are returning diplomats or can get an import permit. Diplomats are also allowed to import motorcycles.