The bag checks were instituted summer 2008 pre-Olympics and have never gone away, though at some stations, inspection had become a bit disinterested. I can personally say every time I've been on the subway since then (and that's a lot of trips, living in Beijing), I have ALWAYS been made to put my purse or bag through the x-ray. And so have all the others I've seen. Men carrying no purses or bags have been able to skip this, you've never had to empty your pockets or take jackets off. Laptop carriers I've seen go both ways but nothing ever has to get taken out of the bag airport-style.

I expect this is going to get more ponderous over the next few weeks. And particularly on Line 1 and south parts of Line 2. Don't be surprised to see very nasty-looking and unsmiling, armed SWAT team/special police in some of the major stations and transit points.