Flights and travel guide to China

China, officially known as the People’s Republic of China is a vast country in Eastern Asia (about the same size as the United States of America) with the world’s largest population. With coasts on the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, in total it borders 14 nations. It borders Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam to the south; Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to the west; Russia and Mongolia to the north and North Korea to the east. Only Russia has more land borders in Asia.

China has many large and famous cities. Below is a list of the nine most important to travelers in mainland China.

• Beijing - capital city, cultural center, and host of the 2008 Olympics
• Guangzhou - one of most prosperous and liberal cities in the south of China near Hong Kong
• Guilin - popular destination for both Chinese and foreign tourists, sensational mountain/river scenery
• Hangzhou - famously beautiful city, major center for the silk industry
• Kunming - capital of Yunnan, gateway to the villages of the ethnic minorities
• Nanjing - a renowned historical and cultural city with many historic relics
• Shanghai - famous for its riverside scenery, China’s largest city is a major commercial center with many shopping opportunities
• Suzhou - "Venice of the East," old city, famous for canals and gardens
• Xi’an - Oldest city and Ancient capital of China and home to ten dynasties including the Han and the Tang, terminus of the ancient Silk Road, and home of the terracotta warriors

You can travel to many of these cities using the lovely new fast trains. In particular, the Hangzhou - Shanghai - Suzhou - Nanjing line is a convenient way to see some historic areas.

People

China is a very diverse place with large variations in culture, language, customs and economic levels. Indeed, it has 56 officially recognized ethnic nationalities, 55 of which officially enjoy affirmative action for admission to universities, exemption from the one-child policy and other social benefits. The economic landscape is particularly diverse. A majority of Chinese still live in rural areas although only 10% of all land is arable. The major cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Shanghai are rich and modern. However, more than half the population, some 800 million rural residents, still farm with manual labor or draft animals. The government estimates for 2005 report 90 million living on under ¥924 (US$112) a year; 26 million were under the official poverty line, ¥668 (US$81) a year; the poorest are well below that.

The cultural landscape is unsurprisingly very diverse given the sheer size of the country. Of the 56 ethnic groups recognized by the PRC government, the Han Chinese comprise about 91.5% of the population, although the Han are far from homogeneous and speak a wide variety of mutually unintelligible local "dialects". Many customs and divinities are specific to individual regions and even villages. Indeed even the lunar new year and other nationwide festivals are celebrated in drastically different ways in different parts of the country. After the Han, the Zhuang, Manchu, Hui and Miao round out the top five. Other notable ethnic minorities include: Koreans, Tibetans, Mongols, Uyghurs and Russians. In fact, China is home to the largest Korean population outside Korea and is also home to more ethnic Mongols than Mongolia.

Climate

The climate is extremely diverse, from tropical regions in the south to subarctic in the north. Hainan Island is roughly at the same latitude as Jamaica, while Harbin, one of the largest cites in the north, is at roughly the latitude of Montreal.

There is also a wide range of terrain to be found in China with many inland mountain ranges, high plateaus, and deserts in center and far west; while plains, deltas, and hills are to be found in the east. On the border between the province of Tibet and the nation of Nepal lies Mount Everest, at 8,850 m, the highest point on earth. The Turpan depression, in northwest China’s Xinjiang is the lowest point in the country, at 154 m below sea level. This is also the second lowest point on land in the world after the Dead Sea.

Holidays

China is a huge country with endless travel opportunities. However, during holidays, millions of migrant workers return home and millions of other Chinese travel, so travelers may want to think seriously about rescheduling. At the very least, travel should be planned well in advance. Every mode of transportation is crowded and tickets of any kind are hard to come by, so it may be necessary to book well in advance (especially for those traveling from remote western China to the east coast or in the opposite direction). Train and other tickets are usually quite easy to buy in China, but difficulties arising from crowded conditions at these times cannot be overstated. Some travelers who have been stranded at these times, unable to buy tickets have managed to get airplane tickets, which tend to sell out more slowly.

Around the Chinese New Year, many stores and other businesses will close for several days, a week, or even longer.

China has three major annual holidays:

• National Day - October 1
• Chinese New Year or Spring Festival - late January / mid-February
• Labor Day (May Day) - May 1

These aren’t one-day holidays. Workers get at least a week or two off for Chinese New Year; students get four-six weeks. Both groups get about a week each for National Day and Labor Day.

Also, during early July millions of university students go home and in late August they return to school, jamming transportation options, especially between the east coast and the western provinces of Sichuan, Tibet, and Xinjiang.

Spring Festival is especially busy. Not only is it the longest holiday, it is also a traditional time to visit family, much as Christmas is in the West. More or less all the university students (20-odd million of them!) go home, and more or less all the migrant workers who have left their farms and villages for better pay in the cities go home. This is often the only chance they have. Everyone wants to go home, and China has a lot of "everyone"!

A complete list of Chinese festivals would be very long, since many areas or ethnic groups have their own local ones and even among the Han Chinese, the festivals celebrated vary from region to region. See listings for individual towns for details. Here is a list of some of the nationally important ones not mentioned above:

• Lantern Festival - 15th day of the 1st lunar month, just after Chinese New Year, usually in February or March. In some cities, such as Quanzhou, this is a big festival with elaborate lanterns all over town.
• Qingming Festival - About April 4-6, is called "grave sweeping day" in English. Cemeteries are crowded with people who go to sweep tombs and offer sacrifices. Traffic on the way to the cemeteries becomes heavy.
• Dragon Boat Festival - 5th day of the 5th lunar month, usually in June. Boat races are a traditional part of it.
• Double Seventh Festival - 7th day of the 7th lunar month, usually August, is a festival of romance, sort of a Chinese Valentine’s Day.
• Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Cake Festival - 15th day of the 8th lunar month, usually in October. People meet outside, putting food on tables and looking up at the sky while talking about life.
• Double Ninth Festival or Chongyang Festival - 9th day of the 9th lunar month, usually in October.
• Winter Solstice Festival - December 22 or 23.

Visas

Most travelers will need a visa to visit mainland China. In most cases, this should be obtained from a Chinese embassy or consulate before departure. Visas for Hong Kong and Macau can be obtained through a Chinese embassy or consulate, but must be applied for separately from the mainland Chinese visa. However, citizens from majority of counties do not need visas to visit Hong Kong and Macau. See those guides for more information. The most notable exception to this rule is transit through certain airports. Most airports allow a 12-hour stay without a visa so long as you do not leave the airport, but Shanghai Pu Dong International and Shanghai Hongqiao International Airports permit a forty-eight hour stay without a visa. Nationals of Singapore, Brunei and Japan do not need a visa to visit China for a stay of up to 15 days, regardless of the reason of visit. To visit mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau residents of Chinese nationality need to apply at the China Travel Service, the sole authorized issuing agent, to obtain a Home Return Permit, a credit card sized ID allowing multiple entries and unlimited stay for 10 years.

Citizens of Taiwan (Republic of China) may obtain entry permit (valid for 3 months) at airports in Dalian, Fuhzou, Haikou, Qingdao, Sanya, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xiamen and China Travel Services in Hong Kong and Macau, visitors must hold Republic of China passport, Taiwanese Identify Card and Taiwan Compatriot Pass (Tai Bao Zheng; may obtain for single use at airports in Fuhzou, Haikou, Qingdao, Sanya, Wuhan and Xiamen). Fee is CNY 100 (plus CNY 50 for issuing Taiwan Compatriot Pass for single use). Travelers should check reliable information before traveling.

Getting a tourist visa is fairly easy for most passports as you don’t need an invitation, which is required for business or working visas. The usual tourist single-entry visa is valid for a visit of 30 days (though up to 90 days is possible for citizens of some countries) and must be used within three months of the date of issue. A double-entry tourist visa must be used within six months of the date of issue.

Some travelers will need a dual entry or multiple entry visa. For example, if you enter China on a single entry visa, then go to Hong Kong or Macau, you need a new visa/multiple entry visa to re-enter mainland China. In Hong Kong, multiple entry visas are officially available only to HKID holders, but the authorities are willing to bend the rules somewhat and may approve three-month multiple entry visas for short-term Hong Kong qualified residents, including exchange students. It’s recommended to apply directly with the Chinese government in this case, as some third-parties will be unwilling to submit such an application on your behalf. Obtaining a Visa on Arrival is possible usually only for the Shenzhen or Zhuhai Special Economic Zones, and such visas are limited to those areas. When crossing from Hong Kong to Shenzhen at Lo Wu KCR station, and notably not at Lok Ma Chau, a five day Shenzhen-only visa can be obtained during extended office hours on the spot for 160 RMB (Oct 2007 price) for passport holders of many nationalities, for example Irish or New Zealand or Canadian. Americans are not eligible, while British nationals have to pay 450 RMB. The office now accepts only RMB as payment, so be sure to bring sufficient cash.

However there may be restrictions on visas for political reasons and these vary over time. For example:

• As of January 2008, the visa fee for American nationals has been increased to US$130 (or US$110 as part of a group tour) in reciprocation for increased fees for Chinese nationals visiting America.
• As of April 2008, visas issued in Hong Kong are generally limited to 30 days, same day service is difficult to get. Multiple-entry visas have also become much harder or impossible to get.
• Indian nationals are limited to 10 or 15 day tourist visas, and have to show US $100 per day of visa validity in the form of traveler’s checks (US $1000 and US $1500, respectively), likely owing to the contested border and migration fears.

It used to be common for people entering China to work to arrive on a tourist (L) visa and then have the employer obtain a working {Z} visa for them. Now the employer typically obtains a Residence Permit for them instead. This is effectively a multiple-entry visa; you can leave China and return using it. Some local visa offices will refuse to issue a residence permit if you entered China on a tourist (L) visa. In those cases, you have to enter on a Z visa and getting that requires an invitation letter from the employer, and perhaps a trip to Hong Kong or Korea. In other cases converting an L visa to residence permit is OK; it depends which office you are dealing with and perhaps on your employer’s connections.

By plane

There are plenty of airlines offering flights to China from major UK airports including London Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester, Aberdeen, Belfast, Glasgow, Cardiff, New Castle, London Gatwick.The main international gateways into mainland China are Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Almost every sizeable city will have an international airport, but these are usually restricted to flights from Hong Kong and neigbouring countries such as South Korea and Japan. While several major airlines fly to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, budget seats can prove hard to come by. For good offers, book as early as you can. Particularly busy periods are usually when Chinese students are flying home for summer, flying back to universities around the world after summer or around Chinese New Year (early February). Tickets at these times are often hard to get and/or more expensive.

If you live somewhere like Toronto or San Francisco with a large overseas Chinese community, check for cheap flights with someone in that community. Sometimes flights advertised only in the Chinese newspapers cost significantly less. Tiger Airways, Bangkok Airways. Air Asia and Cebu Pacific offer low-priced flights from Southeast Asia (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Manila) to various destinations in southern China, including Xiamen, Jinghong, Guangzhou, Haikou and Macau. Many fliers prefer Asian airlines, which generally have more cabin staff and better service. Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific is an obvious possibility for flights to China. Others include Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines and Indonesia’s Garuda.

Korean Air often have good prices on flights from various places in Asia, such as Bangkok via Seoul to North America. One person on a mailing list reported that taking a train to Southern China, cheap Macau-Bangkok flight, then Korean Air Bangkok-Seoul-LA was US$200 cheaper than flying direct Shanghai-LA. Korean Air also fly to a dozen or so Chinese cities, including Shanghai, but we do not know if the big discounts are available there. China’s own airlines are growing rapidly (500 planes in 2000, 863 as of May 2006; they say 1580 by 2010 and 3200 by 2024) and working hard at becoming highly competitive in both service and pricing. They include China Southern, China Eastern, and Air China.

North American airlines: Northwest serves Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou through its hub at Narita. United has the most nonstops to North America, serving Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai from Chicago, San Francisco and Washington. Continental Airlines flies to Hong Kong and Beijing from Newark, and American flies to Shanghai from Chicago. Delta Airlines offers non-stop service from Atlanta to Shanghai. Air Canada serves Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong from Toronto and Vancouver. Flying from Australia, Qantas offers direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth to Hong Kong. [Qantas] also flies to Beijing and Shanghai from Sydney and only offers a code-share service to Shanghai from Melbourne.

Flying from New Zealand, Air New Zealand is the only direct option to Mainland China. They offer direct flights to Beijing and Shanghai in the Mainland and Hong Kong. From Southeast Asia, Singapore has arguably the best connections due to its large ethnic Chinese population, with flights to all the major cities as well as some regional hubs such as Xiamen and Shenzhen. Besides Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok also offer good connections. European airlines: Most of the major European airlines — from Air France and British Airways to Finnair — have direct flights from their bases to Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, and several fly to Guangzhou as well. A few have links to other Chinese cities, for example KLM fly direct Amsterdam-Chengdu and Lufthansa fly Frankfurt-Nanjing.

If you are coming into Hong Kong or Macau and then flying on to somewhere in mainland China, consider crossing the border to Shenzhen or Zhuhai and picking up a flight there. These are usually significantly cheaper, as flights between the mainland and Hong Kong or Macau are treated as international flights. Regular direct flights between Taiwan and mainland China, which have not taken place since 1949, have finally commenced on 4 July 2008. Starting from 15 Dec 2008, the frequency of these flights have been expanded to daily, and flights no longer have to be routed through Hong Kong airpsace, which has cut flight times significantly on some more popular routes.

The official language of China is Standard Mandarin, which is based on but not identical to the Beijing dialect of Mandarin, known in Chinese as Putonghua (普通话, "common speech"). It has been the only language used in education on the mainland since the 1950s, so most people speak it. Unless otherwise noted, all terms, spellings and pronunciations in this guide are standard Mandarin. As Mandarin is tonal, getting the four tones correct is necessary for one to be understood.

Many regions - especially in the southeast and south of the country - also have their own "dialect", all of which are tonal. These are really different languages, as different as French and Italian although referring to Chinese "dialects" as separate languages is a touchy political issue. Of true dialects within Mandarin, pronunciation varies widely and there is often a liberal dose of local slang or terminology to liven up the mix. After Mandarin, the largest "dialect" groups are Wu, spoken in the region around Shanghai, Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu, followed by Cantonese, spoken in most of Guangdong Province, Hong Kong and Macau, and the Min (Fujian) group which includes Minnan (Hokkien) spoken in the region around Xiamen and in Taiwan, a variant of Minnan known as Teochew spoken around Shantou and Chaozhou, as well as Mindong (Hokchiu) spoken around Fuzhou. Most Chinese are bilingual in the local language and Mandarin. A few who are older, less educated or from the countryside may speak only the local dialect, but this is unlikely to affect tourists. It often helps to have a guide that can speak the local language as it marks that person as an insider, and you as a friend of the insider. While you can easily get by most parts of China speaking standard Mandarin, locals always appreciate any attempt to say a few words or phrases in the local dialect, so learning a few simple greetings will help you get acquainted with the locals much more easily. In general, an understanding of or appreciation for the local dialect can be useful when traveling to more remote areas. But in those areas a phrase book that includes Chinese characters will still be a big help as written Chinese is more or less the same everywhere.

Formal written Chinese is for all intents and purposes the same everywhere. Even Japanese and Korean use many of the same characters with the same or similar meaning. There is a complication in this, however. Mainland China uses "simplified characters", adopted to facilitate literacy during the mid-1950s. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and by many overseas Chinese, but also on the mainland in advertising and commercial signs. As a result you will just as often see 银行 (yínháng) as 銀行 for "bank". The simplification was however fairly systematic, which means that all hope is not lost for the traveler trying to pick up some sign-reading skills. On the other hand, native speakers usually do not encounter problems reading either script so learning how to write either one would usually suffice. Note that in calligraphy, the number of scripts is much more varied as different painters use different unique styles, though these have been grouped into five different styles. They are zhuanshu(篆书／篆書), lishu(隶书/隸書), kaishu (楷书/楷書), xingshu (行书/行書) and caoshu (草书/草書), of which kaishu is the official script used in China today. When calligraphy is written in kaishu, it is usually traditional Chinese characters that are used due to their superior aesthetic value. The casual traveler can easily get by without learning the other four styles though learning them would certainly help those with a deep interest in traditional Chinese art.

In the far western reaches of the country, Turkic languages such as Uighur, Kirghiz, and Kazakh as well as other languages such as Tibetan are spoken by some of the non-Han ethnic minorities. In the north and northeast other minority languages including Manchu, Mongolian and Korean are also spoken in areas populated by the respective ethnic minorities. Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi in the south are also home to many other ethnic minorities such as the Miao, Dong, Zhuang, Bai and the Naxi who speak their own languages. However, with the possible exception of the elderly, Mandarin is widely understood in these areas too, and almost all younger individuals will be bilingual in both their minority language and Mandarin. Sadly some of the minority languages such as Manchu are dying out.

Crime

Petty crime remains relatively low, and it is common for people to quietly carry large amounts of cash. At the same time, one should take the usual precautions against being conspicuously wealthy. In some areas, there are many pickpockets. In crowded markets, buses, and even dance clubs it is common for wallets and mobile phones to disappear. Items such as purses left unguarded at restaurants are also liable to be stolen. The major cities in Southern China, especially Shenzhen, have soaring crime rates. They are typically no more dangerous than a major American city and violent crime is especially rare, but keep your eye on your bags and if you see a local wearing a backpack on their front, it’s probably a good idea to do the same. Wearing a money belt or "clip wallet" will offer additional projection at the cost of some convenience.

Traffic

Traffic in China can be very dangerous, and driving in China is not for the faint hearted. Walking, especially in rural areas, can be very dangerous because of oncoming traffic, which includes bicycles and motorbikes which have their own lane, in addition to cars and larger vehicles. In urban areas traffic will sometimes slow down if they see you in the way. More often — and almost always outside of major cities — they will just honk and expect you to get out of the way. Stop signs do exist in China but are rare, and cars almost never stop there. The safest way to cross a street is via a pedestrian overpass or subway, if available. When having to cross on the street, a safe bet is to cross with the locals, as they know what they’re doing and tend to cross in numbers.

Don’t be fooled by pedestrian crossings with traffic lights, either. You still have to look in all directions. Motorists are allowed to turn right against a red light, which means you can be attacked by vehicles coming from your left. You can also be attacked by vehicles turning left from the direction you are heading to, and if that’s not enough, you will also be attacked by vehicles turning right, as you get to the other side of the road.

Begging

Once taboo, begging is no longer an uncommon sight in China, particularly in major tourist areas. In Beijing begging is exceptionally bad, especially around hotels and markets foreigners frequent. Shanghai has also seen a return of the child begging gangs from the pre-revolutionary era. Shenzhen is also full of beggars, the most aggressive types are in front of the Hong Kong border/Luo Hu. Please be aware that as soon as you give money to a beggar, you WILL be accosted by every other beggar. Beggars in China are almost exclusively professional and many have obvious deformities, which are more effective at eliciting pity. Others are fully functional. Children are frequently coerced into begging by adults, who force the children to beg and then take the money that they collect. In some areas, especially Beijing, beggars are often rather aggressive and persistent, even though there are traditionally strong social norms against begging, as it is considered shameful. The Mandarin phrase "qù nǐ de", literally "go to your (place)", has roughly the force of "bugger off". It might be appropriate for rude aggressive beggars, though almost certainly not for others.

Begging is common in train stations around the country. Often, women will hold babies and say that their kids are hungry. True or not, just be aware of your surroundings if you do decide to give any money. If you do feel it appropriate to give a beggar some money, keep in mind that many Chinese only make ¥20-30 per day working hard labor jobs. Giving ¥1 to a beggar is very generous.

Scams

In touristy places in China be cautious about unknown people approaching you on the street and striking up a conversation in English, as this may be a prelude to a scam. Be polite, but there is no need to come along if they start insisting on you coming with them some special place you had not planned on going to. If you intend to continue the conversation, be very sure that YOU choose the bar, café, or tea house. In Beijing these scams are most common around places like Tiananmen Square, which attract tourists but don’t charge for admission. But they also happen in other big cities such as Shanghai when strolling through touristy places such as Nanjing Road.

An example of this type of scam is the Chinese tea ceremony. Just as you’re leaving a tourist attraction, a friendly couple approaches you to invite you to a tea ceremony and sampling which turns out to be very expensive. Figures well in excess of 1,000 yuan are common. Whenever sampling tea, ask for and keep the menu to ensure you know how much you are spending. Another common scam is the free art gallery tour. Tourists are lured into small shabby art shops and pressured to buy overpriced Chinese art which is nothing but a copy. This is common in Beijing, and the scammers may claim to be struggling art students and want you to visit their professor’s personal studio.

One other scam is the bargain tour of city where somebody who is supposedly a driver who offers to take you to all the major tourist attractions of the city for a cutthroat price and with no time limit. He may even offer you his identity card and show you some sort of "tour operator license". These people can typically be found in the arrival halls of airports, train stations, and ferry terminals as well as at major border crossings. If one accepts the offer, the driver would typically drug his passengers and coax them to hand over all the valuables, which the passenger would usually comply under the influence of the drugs (a similar scam is often practiced in Thailand). More often however, they will just drive you to a series of overpriced souvenir shops in hopes that you’ll buy something, for which they will get a commission. Such people can be rather persuasive so be firm with them and walk away if they continue to pester you. If they get too persistent, threaten to report them to the police as touting is illegal in China. If you require a vehicle with a driver, arrange for one through your hotel instead or negotiate with a friendly taxi driver as most offer all day reserved vehicle service.

Most locals however are genuinely curious people who may see that you’re looking lost or who want nothing more than a chat and a photo with foreigners. If you want more opportunities to meet people, you can also ask about "English Corner" (or "French Corner" or "German Corner"). These are weekly gatherings of people who meet in a park or other public area to keep up their language areas and interact with any native speaker who might turn up. Try to strike a balance. Avoid obvious scams but do not be rude and unfriendly to people who may just be genuinely helpful and curious. Just don’t be afraid to say no to any offer. If you meet someone who wants to have a cup of coffee and a chat, suggest going to Starbucks or another big chain, as you are unlikely to be scammed there. But consider treating your new friend(s): a cup of Starbucks, KFC or McDonald’s coffee, all of which are relatively expensive for an average Chinese person. Overall, be positive but cautious when on the road and enjoy your trip. China has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

Banned items

The Chinese government is known to have strong media controls and to enforce them vigorously. Books or magazines mailed in are almost always delayed at customs and sometimes disappear.

• In particular, support for Tibetan or Taiwan independence is unacceptable. Under this law, the movies Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet and publications written by or supporting the Dalai Lama are banned.
• Lonely Planet’s China guidebook is reportedly also banned because its map depicts Taiwan as an independent state, but is very commonly seen.
• Some historical books are banned; everybody deplores the Cultural Revolution nowadays. These include Jung Chang’s Wild Swans (an introduction to recent Chinese history) and all the works of the only Chinese to win the Nobel Prize for literature, Gao Xingjian, who now lives in France.
• Publications by the Knights of Columbus, the Roman Catholic Church, Latter-Day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Unification Church, and Seventh-Day Adventists may not be imported. Generic religious items, such as Bibles, have reportedly also been seized. Typically however, one Bible in the visitor’s native language is allowed.
• Publications concerning Falun Gong are strictly forbidden.

Most importantly, do not bring in an item that could be perceived as an insult to Mao Zedong, the Chinese Communist Party, or the Chinese people or government. Trying to bring in a banned book might get you stopped at the border, prevented from entering. If police notice one in the country, they would confiscate it and you may face questioning but detention is rare. You may or may not be deported and permanently banned from China. Actually, most of what is confiscated is pornography — any such material depicting children WILL get you denial of entry at the very least.

Personal hygiene

Outside major cities, public washrooms vary from mildly unpleasant to utterly repulsive. In cities, it varies from place to place. High quality bathrooms can be found inside major tourist attractions (e.g., the Forbidden City), at international hotels, office buildings, and upper-class department stores. Washrooms in McDonald’s, KFC, Pizza Hut, or any of the coffee chains listed in the drink section are usually more or less clean. While those in common restaurants and hotels are barely acceptable, those in hotel rooms are generally very clean. Some public facilities are free, others cost from a few mao up to one or two kuai (¥.1-¥2). Separate facilities are always provided for men (男) and women (女), but sometimes there are no doors on the front of the stalls.

The sit-down toilet familiar to Westerners is rare in China in public areas. Hotels will generally have them in rooms, but in places where Westerners are scarce, expect to find squat toilets more often than not. Many private homes in urban areas now have sit down toilets, and one major benefit from having a local host is that they have clean bathrooms. As a rule of thumb, a western establishment such as McDonald’s will have a western toilet.

Carry your own tissue paper (wèishēngzhǐ - 卫生纸, or miànzhǐ - 面纸) as it is rarely provided. You can sometimes buy it from the money-taker at a public toilet; you can also buy it in bars, restaurants and Internet cafes for ¥2. Put used paper in the bucket next to the toilet; do not flush it away as it may block the often poor plumbing systems.

Chinese tend to distrust the cleanliness of bathtubs. In hotels with fixed bathtubs, disposable plastic bathtub liners may be provided.

Wash your hands often with soap, or better carry some disposable disinfectant tissues (found in almost any department or cosmetics store), especially after having used public computers; the main cause for getting a cold or flu is through touching your face, especially the nose, with infected hands.

Food & drink

There are no widely enforced health regulations in restaurants. Restaurants generally prepare hot food when you order. Even in the smallest of restaurants, hot dishes are usually freshly prepared, instead of reheated, and rarely cause health problems. Most of the major cities have chain fast food places, and the hygiene in them tends to be good. Be cautious when buying food from street vendors. This is especially the case for meat or seafood products; they can be very unsafe, particularly during warm weather, as many vendors don’t have refrigeration.

A rule of thumb regarding street food is to make certain it is cooked thoroughly while you are watching; also, visit stalls frequented by locals, and look for plastic-wrapped disposable chopsticks. Minor stomach discomfort may still be experienced from street food and restaurant food alike, but is said to pass as one becomes accustomed to the local food. Ginger is effective against nausea, though it does not kill bacteria.

Chinese people do not drink tap water, and you drink it at your peril, even in cities. All hotels (and even boats!) provide either a thermos flask of boiled water in your room (refillable by your floor attendant) or a kettle you can use to do it yourself. This service is free. Purified drinking water in bottles is available everywhere, and is generally quite cheap. ¥1 is normal for a small bottle, but it will be more in some places. Check that the seal on the cap is not broken. Beer, wine and soft drinks are also cheap and safe.

Health care

Drugs are generally available from a pharmacist without prescriptions. You can usually ask to see the instructions that came with the box. Western medicine is called xīyào. Many Chinese doctors and nurses speak no English. However, medical staff are in plentiful supply and hospital wait times are generally short - usually less than 10 minutes at general clinics (ménzhěn), and virtually no wait time at emergency rooms (jízhěn). Ensure that needles used for injections or any other procedure that requires breaking the skin are new and unused - insist on seeing the packet being broken open. In some parts of China it is acceptable to re-use needles, albeit after sterilization.

For acupuncture, it is recommended to provide your own needles, as the disposable type used in Hong Kong and Taiwan are not yet in common use in mainland China. Note that there should be no bleeding when the needle is inserted and removed if the acupuncturist is sufficiently skilled. If making more than a short trip to China, it may be a good idea to get vaccinated against Hepatitis A and Typhoid as they can be spread via contaminated food. Parts of southern China have mosquitoes which transmit malaria, dengue fever, etc.

China has only officially recognised the threat of an AIDS/HIV epidemic since 2001. According to the United Nations "China is currently experiencing one of the most rapidly expanding HIV epidemics in the world. Since 1998, the number of reported cases has increased by about 30% yearly. By 2010, China could have as many as 10 million infections and 260,000 orphans if without intervention"; Chinese President Hu Jintao has recently pledged to fight the spread of AIDS/HIV within China. Sex workers, clients of sex workers and injecting drug users are the most infected groups. New diseases are sometimes a threat in China. In 2003 China experienced a serious SARS outbreak; this is no longer considered a major threat. More recently, there have been cases of bird flu; avoid undercooked poultry or eggs.

Tipping is not necessary and sometimes considered an inappropriate gesture, but under certain rare circumstances — such as a doorman allowing you into a building at a late hour — a tip is welcome. (A ¥1 tip would suffice for the above example.) The exceptions to this rule are in upscale businesses where you are rendered some type of service. Taxi drivers do not require tips. However, in areas such as Beijing that are heavily touristed the drivers are now used to tips and some even ask for them. In some places, there’s a flat fuel surcharge added to the meter fare. Staff in small eateries do not expect tips. They would find it very strange to get 100 and be told to keep the change. Leave a few yuan on the table and their most likely reaction would be to chase you down the street to return it. An exception to this may be loose change. It is fairly common that when the change comes back after paying the bill that the customer takes the paper money and "waves away" the loose coins. Also note that in many establishments in HK and Macao there may be a service charge of 10% added to the bill automatically. So, no need for tipping here (although in many places that 10% goes directly into the owners pocket and bypasses the staff completely.

When presenting a business card or any other important piece of paper, it is always considered polite to hand it with both hands at the same time, with the thumbs and index fingers holding either side of the document. Accept one the same way. It’s also polite to spend a quick minute reading it over. If you smoke (and even if you don’t), it is always considered polite to offer a cigarette to those you meet, as long as they are of adult age. This rule applies almost exclusively to men, but under certain circumstances, such as a club, bar or tea house, it is OK to apply the rule toward women, particularly in the larger, more cosmopolitan cities. If someone offers you a cigarette and you don’t smoke, you can turn it down by politely and gently waving your hand. The same applies to alcoholic drinks or food offered during a meal. An alternative to the alcohol drink tip is to turn your "wine" cup upside down (if it is empty!) and place it on the table in such manner, but do this with a smile. Note: When toasting, it is best to look directly in the eyes of those you are toasting with. Keep in mind that although the Chinese love to drink copious amounts of alcohol, public drunkenness is frowned upon. If you see some people getting or being obnoxiously drunk in public, by no means think that it is OK - it isn’t.

As in other countries, try to avoid political topics, as they usually lead nowhere and can even cause problems. Many Chinese hold to their beliefs quite rigidly and it is rather rare to find a politically open mind. Those who are open and knowledgeable about political issues, tend to keep such ideas to themselves and those very close to them, so don’t expect a quick breaking of the ice in this field. To a lesser extent, topics of history are met with a similar attitude, however no harm is done if you ask them politely and reasonably. On the other hand, religious topics are easier to discuss.

Sensitive topics include:

• Tibet or Taiwan political issues unless you fully agree with the policies of the PRC regarding these matters, as they are almost invariably met with varying degrees of hostility.
• The semi-colonisation of China throught the 19th and early 20th centuries and, especially, the Japanese occupation of much of the coastal areas remain a volatile issue, and many anti-Japanese riots have taken place in recent times, particularly during football (soccer) matches against Japan. Anti-Japanese sentiment remains strong among the general population, not just those born before the mid 1930s. However, unprovoked violence against Japanese tourists is extremely rare so Japanese visitors need not be too worried, though they should avoid areas near major sporting grounds when matches between China and Japan are taking place, as those areas are where anti-Japanese violence is most likely to occur.
• If inviting Chinese friends for a meal, be sure to order too much food as ordering "just enough" will make you seem stingy in the eyes of the Chinese. Likewise, if invited for a meal, finishing your food will usually be taken to mean that you are still hungry and will usually prompt your hosts to order more food. If you do not wish to waste food, be sure to tell your hosts explicitly that you are full.
• It is usually best to spit the bones found in food directly on the table or a small plate for such purpose, or skillfully take them out with your chopsticks and place them there, rather than using your fingers. This may be totally unacceptable to most people from other countries but it is the rule in China. Sticking your chopsticks into your rice and leaving them there is considered taboo, as it is reminiscent of sticks of incense burning at a shrine or funeral and therefore you are seen to be wishing death upon the people at the table. Also, if someone clears his/her throat and spits on a restaurant floor, accept it, as it is also very common indeed throughout most of the country.
• A small gift taken to a host’s home is always very welcome.
• As a traveler, you may find that your language, color of hair and skin, behavior, and manner of dress will draw long and sustained stares, especially in rural areas or outside the major cities. While there is a great deal of diversity in China, it is also true that in some areas people have little or no contact with people outside of their village or social circle. Do not be put off by this fact or you may spoil your own time in China.
• The Chinese tend to be very concerned about correct behavior and "saving face", and also tend to be very conscious of social status. Pointing out mistakes or failings, even for innocent and/or justified reasons, may cause intense humiliation and embarrassment for the person on the receiving end. This does not mean that you have to accept a significant error or mistake that has a negative effect on you; it means that if you must point out a problem or give criticism, do so in the most polite (but firm) manner that you can.
• Do not talk loudly as this is considered rude, although you will hear many Chinese talking loudly among themselves. Chinese manners and conceptions of ideas such as loud and quiet are quite different from most other countries, so take care.
• There is a strong difference between members of the in-group and strangers, although there is a fair gray area between the two. However, this is common worldwide, so there is no need to think about this issue too much.

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