Country Information
COUNTRY INFORMATION
Country Specific Information (CSI) is also available on the State Department’s website travel.state.gov.
The People’s Republic of China, commonly referred to as “China,” is approximately equal to the United States in total land area with 9.64 million square kilometers. A 2007 population estimate held that China is home to 1.327 billion people, more than any other nation in the world. The government of the People’s Republic is a single-party state run by the Chinese Communist Party since 1949. Market-oriented reforms beginning in the late 1970’s have ushered in an era of economic development and, for many, vastly improving living standards. China’s major cities include Beijing (the capital), Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shenyang, Qingdao, Wuhan and Chengdu.
Below you will find information on the following topics:
--Time
--Language
--Currency and Exchange
--Telephone
--Electricity
--Tipping
--Emergency Service
--The Political System
A valid passport
and visa are required to enter China and must be obtained from Chinese
Embassies and Consulates before
traveling to China. Visa applications should be made at least a month prior to
departure for China. Passports must be valid for at least six months for a
single or double entry visa and at least nine months for a multiple entry visa.
Visas are granted only for the points of entry indicated in the passport. All
documents necessary for further travel and sufficient funds to cover intended
period of stay are required. Care should be taken when reading dates on visas
for China as they are written in year/month/day format.Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Washington DC,
United States
Chinese Consulate General in
Chicago
Chinese Consulate General in
Houston
Chinese Consulate General in Los
Angeles
Chinese Consulate General in New
York
Chinese Consulate General in San
Francisco
Time
Local time is GMT +8
Language
Standard Chinese or Mandarin (Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, and other minority languages.
Currency and Exchange
The currency used in China is the Renminbi Yuan (RMB or ¥) and the value is pegged to the US dollar. The Yuan is divided into 10 dimes (jiao) or 100 cents (fen). Notes come in denominations of ¥100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Make sure you exchange your left over Yuan before returning home because it can be exchanged only within China's borders. Travelers checks, preferably in US Dollars, and foreign cash can be exchanged in cities at the Bank of China. The larger hotels designed for foreigners will accept most western currencies for purchases. Major credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, AmericanExpress are accepted in the main cities at various establishments, but outside the major cities acceptance is limited. ATMs are scarce outside the main cities.
Telephone
The international access code for China is 86. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code. The internal telephone system is very antiquated. Visitors should note that most numbers are not listed with their city code and, unlike most countries, the number of digits in Chinese phone numbers is not fixed - it can be as few as six and as many as ten. When making a call outside the country it is often easier and cheaper to dial AT&T on 10811. Mobile phone networks are, on the other hand, fairly advanced. Operators use GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most non-North American international operators. In hotels, local calls are generally free or will be charged only a nominal fee. Internet cafes are available in most cities.
Electricity
Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. Plug types vary but the two- narrow-pin type are most common. Adapters are generally required.
Tipping
Gratuities are not customary in China.
Emergency Service
US Embassy:011-86-10-85314000
In the event of an emergency, no matter where you are in China, dial:
110 for Local Police
114 for Telephone Operator
119 for Fire Department
120 for Medical Emergencies
122 for Traffic Emergencies
The Political System
China is, in practice, a one party state. The National People's Congress
(NPC) is indirectly elected. Direct elections for village leaders have also
been conducted since 1988. They take place every three years, although it is
unclear how genuine and effective they are. The legislature remains subject to
Party leadership. However, since 1987 the NPC has been building its oversight
capacity over the actions of the government.
You should be aware of strictly enforced regulations against any public
demonstrations which do not have prior approval from the authorities. Violators
have been deported, and could face imprisonment.