I know a lot of people with HRPs who don't bother flying via HK.

Ahh, I am talking about boarding the plane from US with direct flight to China.

The TIMATIC is clear that visa for China is exempted for Taiwanese resident with TaiBaoZheng:

- Passengers with a multiple-entry Mainland Travel Permit for
Taiwan Residents (Tai Bao Zheng).
- Passengers with a single-entry Mainland Travel Permit for
Taiwan Residents (Tai Bao Zheng) for a maximum stay of 3
months.

Though I am not sure if the airline employees are familiar with TaiBaoZheng.

IME it depends on the originating city, LAX SFO SEA JFK YVR YYZ airline staff with Asian airlines would be more familiar with HPR and TBZ. I find it varies with DL UA and AA.

The problem is that if you are exiting US on a US passport, the check-in agent may scan the US passport and the system will ask the agent to check for a visa.

My daughter flew to HKG and presented her US passport at SFO check-in, the check-in agent warned her that she had to have 30 days left on her US passport when she would depart HKG. She had about two months more so she would be OK so he gave her her BP. I told the agent that she held the HK permanent ID, and the agent said he only went by what the system said. He also said he would not even ask HK immigration for clearance (I doubt that though). TIMATIC clearly said that HK permanent ID holders would not have such limitations. That happened to my daughter on a HK-based airline (CX) with a Cantonese-speaking agent. I would not trust check-in agents anymore.

When they ask for the visa, just show the hrp.

When I fly via HKG, they use US passport for the first segment and HRP for the second anyway. If I fly US-China direct, I am at the mercy of the check-in agents. Many of them may not be trained well enough (or IT is not good enough). I don't think they care much about me getting the BP. They care more about the passengers being denied entry. If they don't do anything, they won't do anything wrong.

I fly TNA-TPE once on SC, the check-in agent accepted my US passport for TPE entry, but couldn't find a Chinese immigration stamp. He asked me about my entry, so I showed him my HRP. He couldn't find a stamp on the HRP (give me a break - a stamp on an ID card:confused::confused:), and held on to my BP for more than 5 minutes until his supervisor came and said yes, of course that was my entry/exit travel doc for China.

I tend to be very careful. It doesn't matter what is allowed or on the TIMATIC. It is always how the check-in agent handles that matters.

Thanks to you all sharing your thoughts and experience.

Seems the safe approach is to get a China visa to avoid deny boarding possibility.

How did you come to that conclusion?

You might not be issued a China visa in a US or Canadian passport if you hold a HRP or TBZ base on recent applications and confirmed by a few TAs who specialize in China Visas.

I renewed my passport because it expires in six months. my Chinese visa was issued in that old passport in March 2016, and expires in March 2026.

I was just issued a new US passport with a new number now, however all my personal information remains the same. Do I have to apply for a new Chinese visa, or can I fly around with the old visa inside my old passport and be ok?

You don't need to apply for a new visa.

So I carry my old passport with the visa inside, and my new passport together and show that to Chinese customs officials? The airline will be familiar with this and know about this? It's Hainan FWIW...

Yes. For US citizens/passports, that's fine.

Thank you

Legally it is fine.

However it is a YMMV with different airlines. Just because it is a Chinese airline it doesn't mean their contracted check-in agents will know this is legally acceptable.