Article 49 of the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Credit Card Business of Commercial Banks issued by CBRC 20 1 1 stipulates that credit cards shall not be charged without the activation of the cardholder. However, the "Regulations" also pointed out that "under special circumstances, the cardholder alone authorizes the deduction in writing, recording customer service calls, electronic signatures, and methods recognized by both the cardholder and the issuing bank, except for the creditor-debtor relationship formed when changing the card." In other words, the "Activation Free Annual Fee" does not cover all credit cards.
Most banks and most card types don't charge fees if they are not activated. However, in the written statement of credit card rights of banks in official website and when they apply for cards, it is indeed stipulated that "once a card is issued, an annual fee will be charged regardless of whether it is activated or not".
Please check your own credit card type and read the instructions carefully. Or find the official customer service of the issuing bank to confirm again.
If you don't plan to activate the use, it's best not to apply for a credit card at will to avoid unnecessary expenses.