What's the legal drinking age in China?

The age threshold sits inside China's Law on the Protection of Minors, not a dedicated alcohol-licensing statute. It bars selling alcohol or tobacco to minors and requires visible no-sale signage at points of sale, plus an ID check whenever a seller can't easily tell a buyer's age.

ID checks at bars, convenience stores, and restaurants are reported to be inconsistent — some venues check routinely, plenty don't check foreign visitors at all. That inconsistency doesn't change the legal age; it just means you shouldn't assume a lack of ID checks means there's no rule.

The law is written around sellers — prohibiting the sale to minors — rather than criminalizing a minor's own consumption. Parents/guardians allowing or encouraging underage drinking is also addressed separately in the same law.

If you're 18 or older, this isn't something you need to plan around beyond carrying ID (a passport works) in case a venue asks. If you're traveling with anyone under 18, don't assume relaxed-looking enforcement means the rule doesn't apply to them.