Safety in China
China is statistically one of the safest countries for travellers. The real risks are traffic, scams and altitude.
What everyone needs to know
- Violent crime against foreigners is rare, including at night and on public transport.
- The most common real dangers are traffic (scooters ignore red lights), pickpocketing in dense markets, and tea-house or art-gallery scams.
- Altitude is a genuine medical risk above 3,000 m — Lhasa, Shangri-La and parts of Qinghai.
- Police stations are staffed 24/7; the emergency number is 110.
The numbers
| Item | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Police | 110 |
| Ambulance | 120 |
| Fire | 119 |
| Traffic police | 122 |
Do it in this order
- Screenshot your hotel name and address in Chinese — it is the single most useful safety tool.
- Register your trip with your own embassy and save its local number.
- Walk with the traffic flow mentally: e-bikes come from both directions on one-way streets.
- Decline unsolicited invitations to "tea ceremonies" or "art student exhibitions" — the classic bill-shock scam.
Mistakes to avoid
- Assuming pedestrian crossings are respected — they are advisory in practice.
- Flying straight to Lhasa without acclimatisation days.
- Leaving a bag unattended in a tourist market.
Sources
Safety city by city
- Beijing
- Shanghai
- Xi'an
- Chengdu
- Chongqing
- Guilin
- Zhangjiajie
- Hangzhou
- Guangzhou
- Shenzhen
- Harbin
- Sanya
- Lijiang
- Kunming
- Suzhou
- Xiamen
- Zhengzhou
- Taiyuan
- Guiyang
- Fuzhou
- Yiwu
- Tianjin
- Nanjing
- Wuhan
- Changsha
- Qingdao
- Jinan
- Shenyang
- Dalian
- Changchun
- Hohhot
- Urumqi
- Lhasa
- Xining
- Lanzhou
- Yinchuan
- Dunhuang
- Luoyang
- Kaifeng
- Datong
- Pingyao
- Qufu
- Tai'an
- Huangshan
- Hefei
- Nanchang
- Wenzhou
- Ningbo
- Wuxi
- Yangzhou
- Shaoxing
- Zhuhai
- Foshan
- Dongguan
- Haikou
- Nanning
- Yangshuo
- Dali
- Shangri-La
- Xishuangbanna