Daily Survival Tips for Foreigners in China: Emergency Numbers & More (2026)

Emergency numbers you must know

110 — Police. For theft, assault, or any crime. Operators may not speak English; have a Chinese speaker nearby or use a translation app.

120 — Ambulance / Medical emergency. Response times are fast in cities (5-15 minutes). Major hospitals in Shanghai and Beijing have international departments with English-speaking doctors.

119 — Fire department. Also handles rescue situations (people trapped, gas leaks, etc.).

12306 — Not an emergency number, but the railway service hotline. Useful if you've lost something on a train or need ticket help.

Garbage sorting rules

China has mandatory garbage sorting in major cities (Shanghai was first in 2019). The bins are color-coded: Blue = Recyclable (paper, metal, plastic), Green = Food waste (leftovers, fruit peels), Red = Hazardous (batteries, lamps, medicine), Black = Other (everything else).

Hotels handle sorting for you, but if you're in an Airbnb or staying with locals, you'll need to sort your trash. Fines exist for incorrect sorting, though they're rarely enforced on foreigners.

When in doubt, use the Black bin (other). It's the catch-all category.

Cultural tips that avoid awkward moments

Tipping is NOT expected in China — not at restaurants, not for taxis, not at hotels. In fact, offering a tip can sometimes cause confusion. Just pay the listed price.

Don't stick chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice — it resembles incense at funerals and is considered very bad luck. Lay them across your bowl or on the chopstick rest.

Bargaining is normal at street markets and small shops, but never at malls, supermarkets, or chain stores. A good strategy: offer 50-60% of the asking price and meet in the middle.

The number 4 (四, sì) sounds like 'death' (死, sǐ) and is considered unlucky. Many buildings skip the 4th floor. Don't gift anything in sets of 4.

Useful apps beyond Alipay and WeChat

Amap (高德地图, listed as 'Amap' in app stores) — This is non-negotiable. Google Maps is borderline useless in China: wrong addresses, no real-time transit, dead ends in hutongs. Amap has full English support, works offline, and even tells you which subway car to board for the easiest transfer. Apple Maps also works well in China because it uses Amap's data under the hood.

Baidu Translate (百度翻译) — Better at Chinese than Google Translate. Works offline too. Essential for reading restaurant menus and signs. Use camera mode to point at Chinese text for instant translation.

Metro apps — Each city has its own metro app (Shanghai Metro, Beijing Subway). You can use Alipay to scan at metro gates, but the dedicated apps show route maps and real-time train info.

Carry your passport everywhere. You need it to enter attractions, check into hotels, buy train tickets, and sometimes for random police checks. Keep it in a secure pocket, not buried in your luggage.

Book major attractions 7-14 days ahead via WeChat mini-programs or Trip.com. The Forbidden City, Great Wall (Mutianyu), and major museums require reservations. Most cultural sites are closed on Mondays.

Buy a portable power bank. Everything in China runs through your phone — payments, navigation, translation, ride-hailing. Dead phone = no wallet, no map, no way to get a taxi. A 10,000mAh power bank costs about 60 CNY on JD.com.

Watch out for scooters. Electric scooters on sidewalks and at crosswalks are the single biggest physical danger for tourists in China. They're silent and fast. Look both ways even on sidewalks.