China’s proposed power bank rules could ban most devices from flights

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has proposed sweeping new regulations for portable power banks, raising concerns among manufacturers and consumers. The draft document, open for public feedback until December 11, would require all power banks made in China to list their battery type, production date and recommended safe use duration.

The most controversial sections relate to safety. Under the new rules, a compliant power bank must have no fire, no combustion, no cracking and no leakage, even in cases of short circuit or excessive use. The same expectations apply under far more extreme conditions such as high pressure and high temperature. If enforced strictly, these standards would raise the safety bar so high that many existing models would fall short, including those currently allowed on planes.

At the moment, domestic passengers can only carry power banks with China Compulsory Certification. This requirement has already led to confiscations of popular international models such as Apple’s MagSafe battery pack. Products without the 3C mark cannot be sold in China at all.

The push for tougher regulations follows several incidents earlier this year involving battery failures. However, producers say the new standards could redefine what qualifies as a quality power bank and force many firms to overhaul their designs. The China Electronics Standardisation Institute, which sits under the MIIT, said the rules mandate dozens of technical improvements and are likely to take effect by mid next year.