There is also widespread counterfeiting of cigarettes throughout China. The transnational tobacco companies, active in China from the last century, left in the early 1950s. They have now returned, with joint venture factories and multifaceted Cooperation Agreements. China signed an agreement with the United States that by December 1994, all import licensing requirements for tobacco products and all scientifically unjustified health standards related to tobacco would be lifted within a year. In 1995, China also reduced tariffs on imported cigarettes.
Tobacco is the top revenue earner for the government.
Since then it has been relatively stable, at about 1,900 cigarettes per adult per year. In 1984, male smokers consumed on average 13 cigarettes per day. In 1989, average tar content was 30 mgs. Data from the 1991 National Prevalence Survey are pending. As of the early 1990s, there has been little change in the levels and age patterns of smoking prevalence since the 1984 survey.