馃惣 China

Official government travel advice

Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.

Recent disaster alerts (UN/EU GDACS)

Updated 4 Nov 2026. Alerts change quickly: check GDACS and your government's advice before you travel.

Costs

Prices here are about 47% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Practical information

Entry

Entry rules vary by passport, and the official site below is the place to look. Visa-free entry and transit rules change often, so before booking, consult the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Immigration Administration. Starting on 20 November 2025, foreign visitors have been able to complete the arrival card online before flying, through WeChat or Alipay mini-programs, the NIA 12367 app, or the official site of the National Immigration Administration. Anyone who could not do this beforehand can still complete the card at the airport. Stick to these official channels only.

Culture and practical - take note

Mainland China blocks Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Google and numerous other foreign apps. Roaming is something to raise with your operator, and the maps, translation and payment tools you need should be installed and set up BEFORE you go. Alipay and WeChat Pay, the mobile payment services, are how people normally pay, and they now work with foreign cards; connect your card ahead of time and carry some cash too. Hotels must log the passports of foreign guests. Political topics (the government, Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang) are best avoided, and military or police sites should not be photographed. In queues and crowds, be patient. Spitting and loud phone calls happen often, yet visitors should not copy them. Tipping is not customary, and tap water should not be drunk. Chopsticks should never stand upright in rice. For halal food, 'Qingzhen' signs are the thing to look for, such as at Uyghur restaurants and Lanzhou noodle restaurants.

Emergency

Police 110. Ambulance 120. Fire 119.

Good to know

Tap water is not drinkable

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that tap water in China is not drinkable, even in major cities, and adds that bottled water is easily available. Its advice also links safe food and water habits to preventing typhoid fever.

Cards, QR payments and cash

The currency is the renminbi, with the yuan as its basic unit, says Canadian advice. International credit cards work in many hotels and larger businesses but not everywhere, and mobile payments are widely used: a foreign credit card can be linked to major Chinese payment apps for QR code payments. Machines taking foreign cards are common in major cities and scarcer in remote areas. Everyday spending in foreign currency is illegal.

Local laws and customs

Drugs, ID and demonstrations

Canadian advice describes drug penalties in China as severe, up to the death penalty, and says random urine or hair tests can lead to prosecution even for drugs taken legally abroad. UK advice says police make random passport checks and a passport is needed to buy or board a train. Photographing military sites or government buildings is prohibited, and both advisories describe tight limits on demonstrations and critical political posts.

Taxis and scams

Taxis in China

Unmarked taxis and taxis without a meter should be avoided, says UK advice; in a marked taxi, let someone know where you are and note the taxi number. It also says to insist on the metered fare and get a receipt that shows the taxi number. According to Canadian advice, drivers sometimes overcharge, especially at airports, and most do not speak English, so carry your destination written in Chinese characters. It recommends licensed taxis or rides from reputable ride-hailing apps only.

Tea, bar and massage invitations

UK and Canadian advice both describe a scam in which friendly strangers invite a traveller for tea, a drink, a massage or other services, and the venue then demands a very large bill. UK advice says it is common in popular tourist areas and can lead on to threats, violence or credit card fraud.

Fake notes and QR codes

Fake banknotes, above all the highest-value note, are common, even from cash machines, and banks will not replace them, so UK advice says to check notes before accepting them. Canadian advice says a small number are still in circulation, mostly in small cash payments, taxis and informal businesses. Both warn of QR code phishing: take care when scanning codes from unfamiliar sources, and look at the amount on screen before you approve a payment.

Who can help

ngo

Red Cross Society of China

Helps with: China's national Red Cross society. Its site covers emergency rescue and disaster relief, first aid training, humanitarian assistance, and blood and stem cell donation. The site is in Chinese only.

Who qualifies: People in China affected by disasters or needing its humanitarian services; contact the head office or a provincial branch.

Phone: 010-84025890

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

un agency

International Organization for Migration (IOM) China

Helps with: The UN migration agency, with an office in Beijing. In China its work covers migration management, crisis response, international cooperation and partnerships.

Who qualifies: Migrants and government or other partners working on migration. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.

Phone: +86-10-59799695

Address: 鍖椾含甯傛湞闃冲尯濉斿洯澶栦氦鍏瘬9-1-82 100600

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

embassy

Foreign embassies in Beijing (Beijing government list)

Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Beijing government's English site lists foreign embassies by letter, with chancery addresses and phones.

Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy. The list is for Beijing only and its page addresses are dated 2020.

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Beijing 12345 citizen hotline

Helps with: Beijing's government service hotline, with services in 10 languages including English. It covers help with transport, residence and medical services. For emergencies use the police, ambulance or fire numbers instead.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Beijing needing city services or advice, including foreign residents and visitors.

Phone: +8610 12345

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Beijing police emergency number 110

Helps with: Beijing's government 12345 hotline page lists 110 for police, 119 for fire, 120 for medical emergencies and 122 for traffic accidents. Use 110 to report a crime or an urgent danger.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Beijing who needs the police urgently.

Phone: 110

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Shanghai tourist information and service centres

Helps with: The Shanghai government lists about 60 tourist service centres with addresses and phones, at airports, stations and in city districts. One example is the Bund Tourist Comprehensive Service Center at No 16 Xinkaihe Road.

Who qualifies: Visitors to Shanghai. Dial 021 first when calling from outside the city.

Phone: 63230896

Address: No 16 Xinkaihe Road, Huangpu district

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Shanghai public service hotlines (110, 120, 12345)

Helps with: The city's list of hotlines: police 110, fire 119, medical emergency 120 and government service 12345. The city's visitor guide says to call 12345 if a problem at a scenic spot is not resolved.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Shanghai. The page lists no foreign-language or tourist lines.

Phone: 12345

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Guide to Guangzhou's 12345 hotline English service

Helps with: The Guangzhou government's international site publishes an English guide (updated April 2026) to using the city's 12345 government service hotline. The page itself gives no phone number.

Who qualifies: English speakers in Guangzhou wanting to use the city's government service hotline.

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Nanshan International Cultural Exchange and Service Center

Helps with: A Nanshan District centre for foreigners living in or visiting Shenzhen, with English-speaking social workers. It gives administrative information and legal advice. The page was last updated in 2022.

Who qualifies: Foreigners living in or visiting Shenzhen. Confirm hours and number before visiting.

Phone: 0755-2161 2083

Address: 1st Floor, Imperial Park I, Wanghai Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

Cities and places

Beijing BeijingThe Great Wall is an easy day trip from the capital of China, which holds the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.Photo: N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0 Shanghai ShanghaiCanal towns lie nearby, while the city itself, a modern financial hub, is known for busy shopping streets, the Pudong skyline and the Bund waterfront.Photo: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0 Shenzhen ShenzhenBeside Hong Kong, this fast-growing tech city has a modern skyline, theme parks and electronics markets.Photo: Charlie fong, CC BY-SA 4.0 Guangzhou GuangzhouIn southern China, a major hub of trade and food, the city is known for Cantonese cuisine and for the twice-yearly Canton Fair.Photo: Tim Wu, CC BY-SA 4.0 Xi'an Xi'anIt is best known for its old city walls and the Terracotta Warriors; this ancient capital is also where the Silk Road began.Photo: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0 Guilin and Yangshuo Guilin and YangshuoThe area is known for Li River cruises and limestone karst peaks, and for cycling past quiet villages and rice fields.Photo: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0

City selection based on: Euromonitor and Mastercard city rankings, China tourism statistics, Wikipedia tourism lists

Festivals and events

trade

Canton Fair (autumn session)

around Oct-Nov 2026 路 Guangzhou

Three phases make up the largest trade fair in China. Pazhou hotels are fully booked, so planning should begin months ahead.

Official site

trade

China International Import Expo (CIIE)

around Nov 2026 路 Shanghai

A very large import fair is held at the National Exhibition & Convention Center.

festival

Harbin Ice and Snow Festival

around Jan-Feb 2027 路 Harbin

Huge ice buildings glow with lights, and the weather is very cold (-20 C).

festival

Chinese New Year

6-8 Feb 2027 路 Beijing

With rising prices and filling hotels, early planning is wise for this event, one of the biggest the country holds yearly.

sport

Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix (Shanghai)

around Mar-Apr 2027 路 Shanghai

Shanghai International Circuit is where the F1 race takes place.

Official site

trade

Canton Fair (spring session)

around Apr-May 2027 路 Guangzhou

The largest trade fair in China runs in three phases. Hotels around Pazhou are all booked up, so plan months in advance.

Official site

culture

Dragon Boat Festival

9 Jun 2027 路 Beijing

Zongzi rice dumplings accompany the dragon-boat races.

culture

Golden Week (National Day, 1-7 October)

1-7 Oct 2027 路 Beijing

Famous sights get very crowded in what is the busiest travel week in China.

trade

Canton Fair (autumn session)

around Oct-Nov 2027 路 Guangzhou

Three phases make up the largest trade fair in China. Pazhou hotels are fully booked, so planning should begin months ahead.

Official site

trade

China International Import Expo (CIIE)

around Nov 2027 路 Shanghai

A very large import fair is held at the National Exhibition & Convention Center.

festival

Harbin Ice and Snow Festival

around Jan-Feb 2028 路 Harbin

Huge ice buildings glow with lights, and the weather is very cold (-20 C).

festival

Chinese New Year

26-28 Jan 2028 路 Beijing

With rising prices and filling hotels, early planning is wise for this event, one of the biggest the country holds yearly.