Travelling to China?

When you travel to mainland China, it’s a good idea to take out travel insurance. Just like with any trip abroad, there’s always the chance something may go wrong. If you’re unfortunate enough to need to make a claim, you could end up footing a huge bill without the right level of cover.

If you’re looking to buy travel insurance for a trip to China, you can do so above.

Our Coronavirus Travel Insurance is rated Superior by a leading UK Consumer Champion. All of our policies will cover you if you catch Coronavirus.

What’s covered with travel insurance to China?

As standard, our policies cover over 50 sports and activities, so you can get up to more on your holiday. We also offer a range of benefits, some of which include:

• Medical expenses and hospital benefit
• Personal accident and liability
• Cancelling and cutting short your holiday
• Abandoning your trip
• Delayed departure
• Accommodation cover
• Personal belongings and baggage
• Personal money, passport and travel documents
• Legal expenses

We want you to have the best possible holiday, so here are some facts about China, along with other important information that we think you’ll want to know before you go.

Currency	Renminbi (yuan)
Most common languages spoken	Mandarin
Capital	Beijing/Peking
Continent	Asia
Population	Approx. 1.4 billion
Plug type	Plug types A, I and C
Driving side	Right-hand side
Seasons	Spring – March to May Summer – June to August Autumn – September to November Winter – December to February
Laws	Local laws and customs

Do I need a visa for China?

British citizens travelling to China will need to apply for a visa before travel. To check the entry requirements for China, contact the Chinese Embassy or the China Visa Application Service Centre before your trip.

Make sure you choose the correct visa for your stay, as overstaying or having the incorrect visa could result in you being fined, detained or deported.

What are the emergency numbers?

There is no one number in China for all national emergencies, but dialling 112 on a mobile phone plays a bilingual message in English and Chinese about other accessible emergency numbers. The first number to call in an emergency is 110. This number is free and gets through to the Public Security Bureau, who handle most matters related to crime and safety.

The number for the fire service is 119, you can call 122 for a traffic accident, and the number for a first-aid ambulance is 120. There’s also a private ambulance service available in Beijing on 999.

What if I have to go to hospital in China?

There’s no national number for medical emergencies except for 120, which can get a first aid ambulance. With any big country, healthcare varies between regions and cities, but it’s widely available in the major cities. Healthcare in China is hospital-centred, meaning that you generally wouldn’t use a GP. Experts recommend finding the number for the local hospital and getting a taxi there in an emergency, rather than relying on the ambulance service.

Here’s a list of public hospitals in the major Chinese cities:

Beijing/Peking

Beijing Hospital
+86 10 6513 2266

Peking Union Medical College Hospital
+86 10 6529 6114

Chengdu

Global Doctors Chengdu Clinic
+86 28 8522 6058

Chongqing

First Attached Hospital Chongqing Medical University
+86 23 6881 6534

Guangzhou

No.1 People’s Hospital
+86 20 8108 2090
Emergency: +86 20 8108 5509

Nangjing

Jiangsu Provincial People’s Hospital
+86 25 371 4511

Shanghai

The First People’s Hospital
+86 21 6324 3852

Shenzhen

Shenzhen People’s Hospital
+86 755 2553 3018

Tianjin

General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University
+86 22 2781 3159

Wuhan

No.1 Affiliated Hospital to Hubei Medical University
+86 27 8804 1919

Some public hospitals have international clinics within them where staff speak English. Private Western-style medical facilities are available in Beijing and Shanghai but their fees tend to be high. Buying medical travel insurance is recommended as healthcare can get extremely costly.

Where can I get medicine if I’m ill?

Pharmacies are widely available in the major Chinese cities, usually marked with a green cross. Prescriptions work similarly to the way they do in the UK, but in most cases you may find the staff in your local pharmacy don’t speak English. This is a common issue when buying medicine in China, but some will keep a bilingual medical directory where you can identify the drug you need. If you’re looking to replace medication you’ve already bought or brought with you from home, many people bring the box so it can be identified. Foreign imports of medicine you use at home may be very expensive.

What are crime rates like in China?

The major Chinese cities are quite safe to visit. The country has one of the lowest murder rates in the world at around 1 per 100,000 people, lower than the UK and United States. Tourism is an important industry in this country and the government imposes harsh penalties for crimes against foreigners, so tourists rarely encounter any form of violent crime. It should be noted, however, that rural areas and smaller towns have a much smaller (in some cases almost non-existent) police presence.

Theft and fraud is more commonplace, especially in busy areas like street markets, train stations and popular bars, so it pays to be vigilant in the bigger tourist spots. When you’re using taxis at night, ensure they are officially licensed taxi services.

Who do I call if I’ve been a victim of crime?

The police force in China is known as the Public Security Bureau. Most major cities have their own PSB presence, but in the more rural areas they operate on a provincial level, meaning that there is little or no direct PSB presence. If you need to report a crime, you should contact the nearest Foreign Affairs Branch of the PSB. You’ll have to fill out a report and you may need to be able to report your last registered location (see ‘Are there any local laws or customs I should know about?’ below) before they start any investigations.

Do I need any vaccinations before I travel?

You should be up-to-date on routine vaccinations before traveling to any destination. In China, especially if you’re travelling internally between regions, you may be required to get a particular vaccination (such as yellow fever). For more information, visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china.

Are there any local laws or customs I should know about?

There are a number of local laws you are required to observe on your travels – taking care of these will make it much easier if you need to contact the police, go to hospital or extend your visa.

Wherever you travel in mainland China – including if you move internally between towns or regions – you’re required to register where you’re staying with the local Public Security Bureau within 24 hours after you arrive. Some hotels or hostels will take care of this for you. All foreign visitors older than 16 are required to carry their passports at all times. The PSB have the power to withhold your passport and prevent you from leaving the country if you’re suspected of crime.

What if I need to get legal help while in China?

It’s not uncommon for lawyers to be reluctant to take on cases involving foreigners. If you need to seek legal aid during your travels, you should get in contact with the British Embassy or Consulate as soon as possible.

How do I contact the British Embassy?

There are embassies and consulates available in the major Chinese cities. They offer a range of services including emergency travel documents, passport renewal and a list of lawyers and interpreters. Their address and contact details are:

British Embassy Beijing

11 Guang Hua Lu
Jian Guo Men Wai
Beijing
100600 Beijing
China
consular.beijing@fco.gov.uk
General enquiries: +86 (0) 10 5192 4000
Consular assistance for British nationals: +86 (0) 10 8529 6600
Open from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to midday/1.30pm to 5pm

British Consulate-General Guangzhou

2nd Floor Guangdong International Building, 339 Huanshi Dong Lu, Guangzhou
510098 Guangzhou
China
britishconsulate.guangzhou@fco.gov.uk
+86 (0) 20 8314 3000
Open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 12.30pm/1.30pm to 5pm
Consular services are open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 1pm

British Consulate-General Chongqing

Suite 2801
Metropolitan Tower
68 Zourong Road
Yu Zhong District
Chongqing
400010 Chongqing
China
britishconsulate.chongqing@fco.gov.uk
+86 (0) 23 6369 1400/+86 (0) 23 6369 1500
Open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 12pm/1pm to 5pm

The consular section is open from:

Monday: 9am to 12pm/1.30pm to 4pm
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 1.30pm to 4pm
Thursday: Closed
Friday: 9am to 12pm

British Consulate-General Shanghai

Suite 301
Shanghai Centre
1376 Nanjing Xi Lu
Shanghai
consular.shanghai@fco.gov.uk
+86 (0) 21 3279 2000

Consular:

Suite 751
Shanghai Centre
1376 Nanjing Xi Lu
Shanghai
200040 Shanghai
China
+86 (0) 21 3279 2000
Open from Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5.30pm

Consular services are open from:

Monday: 9am to 12pm/2pm to 4pm
Tuesday: 9am to 12pm
Wednesday: 9am to 12pm/2pm to 4pm
Thursday: 9am to 12pm/2pm to 4pm
Friday: 9am to 12pm

And, importantly, who should you contact about your travel insurance while in China?

Anything can happen while you’re abroad, and we know that your plans might change. If you need to contact us about your travel insurance whilst you’re in China – if you want to extend your stay or you just have a question – you can contact our customer services team.

Medical & Emergency Assistance in China

If something happens while you’re in China and you need emergency treatment for an illness or injury, we’re here to help.

All travel insurance policyholders have access to our 24-hour medical assistance team.

Did you know that..?

• In China around 40 million people live in caves. Most are in Shaanxi and Shanxi provinces, carved out of the very soft silty soil called “loess”. The caves are well insulated and environmentally friendly – but not so good in an earthquake.
• To beat the terrible traffic in Chinese cities, entrepreneurs are offering a “jam busting” service. Call from a snarl-up and they will send a motorbike out to you with someone to look after your car, while someone else whisks you away on the bike!
• Chinese century eggs smell so strongly of ammonia that many think they are made by being soaked in horse pee. Now that would be bizarre! Instead the eggs are left for months in strong alkalis like ash or quicklime to get that rich urine flavour.
• The Kingdom of the Little People is a theme park near Kunming, China, where people of shortened stature – max height 130cm – pretend to live in mushroom houses and sing, perform and breakdance to entertain the crowds.
• The famous traditional Chinese “queue” hairstyle of shaving off the front and letting the back grow into a long pigtail was actually imposed by the Manchus, who weren’t Chinese. Until 1912, they forced Chinese males to wear it on pain of death!
• Most subway systems have vending machines with crisps and chocolate bars, but commuters who are feeling peckish on the Nanjing subway, China, can pop a coin into a slot and walk away with… a live crab.
• Chinese women keep the strands of hair that fall out when they brush their luscious locks. Each strand is wrapped around a horn shaped headdress, and over time becomes an extravagant headpiece only worn on special occasions. Oh, I forgot to mention that the hair on the headpiece isn’t just their own, it also includes their dead ancestors.