CHINA GENERAL RISK ASSESSMENT
City & Country
Dates of travel
Students affected
CHINA
July 2016 to June 2017
Study abroad students going to
China
Prepared by
Date
Sussex Abroad Office
8th April 2016
Before you go
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides travel advice by country. It covers safety and security, local laws and customs, entry requirements,
health and natural disasters along with a host of other useful information. We strongly recommend that students read the section related to their destination
prior to departure and before undertaking any trip to another part of the county/region.
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china
Visa regulations:
Please check regulations relating to visas on the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre website:
http://www.visaforchina.org/LON_EN/
If you visit Hong Kong from the mainland of China and wish to return to the mainland, you will need a visa that allows you to make a second entry into China.
Passport visa regulations:
Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months from the date of your visa application. If you have less than 6 months’ validity on your passport, but have a
valid visa, you should be able to enter China for the duration of that visa.
Emergency number: 120
Vaccinations: Visit your health professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations or other preventive measures.
Country specific information and advice is published by the National Travel Health Network and Centre on the TravelHealthPro website
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Type
Crime/security:
Nature of the Hazards
Foreigners can be targeted for passports,
laptops, mobile phones, purses and
handbags. Major tourist sites and areas
frequented by foreigners attract thieves
and pickpockets.
Procedures to minimise risks
Take extra care at major tourist sites, street markets, Beijing
International Airport, major international events and
conferences and popular bar areas after dark. If your passport
is lost or stolen, report it to the nearest police station or Public
Security Bureau, who will issue a ‘confirmation of loss’ report.
Don’t resist any attempted robbery.
Serious crime against foreigners is
relatively rare, but incidents do occur.
There have been incidents of sexual
assault and robbery of foreigners,
particularly when travelling alone in a taxi
late at night in major cities. There are
occasional incidents with taxi and pedicab
drivers who insist the passenger
misunderstood the fare.
Where possible, take an ‘official’ taxi, make sure someone
knows where you are and try to take a note of the taxi’s
number. Avoid travelling in unmarked or unmetered ‘taxis’ and
insist on paying only the meter fare. Ask the driver for a receipt
(fapiao), on which the taxi number should be printed. You can
take this to the police to lodge a complaint.
Counterfeit bank notes (especially
RMB100) are increasingly common. They
are generally crumpled to avoid detection.
Unscrupulous traders may try to switch
your genuine bank notes for counterfeits.
Check carefully before accepting notes. It is quite normal to do
so.
Beware of scams particularly in popular
tourist areas. A regular example is the ‘tea
tasting’ scam. Scams usually involve a
foreign national being invited to visit a bar,
shop or cafe – for example to practice
English or meet a girl - but results in
demands for an exorbitant fee, often
payable by credit card. This can result in
threats of violence or credit card fraud.
Be vigilant in tourist areas. Do not follow strangers into bars,
cafes or shops on their request.
Don’t trek alone in isolated areas,
including those that follow parts of the
Great Wall.
If you do, leave your itinerary, mobile number and expected
time of return at your hotel or with a third party
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Areas bordering on Siberia, Pakistan,
Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Laos and Burma
are poorly policed. There is a risk of attack
from armed bandits in remote areas.
Avoid these areas
Fire Precaution
Fire protection standards in Chinese
accommodation are not always the same
as in the UK.
Check fire precautions including access to fire exits.
Tibet
Ongoing political and ethnic tensions can
lead to unrest and violent protest in Tibet.
While foreigners are not normally targeted
during unrest, you should be alert to the
possibility of being caught up in any
unexpected demonstrations or outbreaks
of violence. Security measures are tight
around any large public gathering and
unauthorised gatherings may be
dispersed by force.
The security situation in Xinjiang remains
fragile, and conditions locally can
deteriorate rapidly at short notice. Among
reported incidents in 2015, 8 people died
in a suicide bombing in Guma county on
13 February, and 17 died on 17 February
following clashes with police in Aksu
prefecture. There were several instances
of violent unrest in 2014: 96 people
reportedly died in a violent clash with
security forces on 28 July in a rural area
near the town of Shache (also known as
Yarkand); 50 people reportedly died in a
series of explosions and clashes with
security forces on 21 September in Luntai
(Bugur); and 22 people reportedly died in
an explosion and violence on 12 October
at a farmers’ market in Maralbeshi
(Bahcu), Kashgar prefecture. There have
You should remain vigilant, keep up to date with local security
advice and media reports and take extra care when travelling in
Tibet. Avoid becoming involved in any protests and avoid large
crowds. Don’t film or photograph any such activities or anything
of a military nature.
Xinjiang Uyghur
Autonomous
Region
You should remain vigilant, keep up to date with local security
advice and media reports and take extra care when travelling in
Xinjiang. Avoid becoming involved in any protests and avoid
large crowds. Don’t film or photograph any such activities or
anything of a military nature.
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been allegations that lethal force has been
used to disperse protests.
Travel
Visitors and tourists are not allowed to
drive in China. Only foreign nationals with
a valid residence permit may drive in
China. You will have to pass a driving test
and get a Chinese driving license. An
International Driving Permit is not
sufficient.
Only cash payments are accepted for
tickets, including on high speed services.
You will need to show your passport to
buy a ticket and may need to show it
before boarding. Trans-Mongolian express
trains (Beijing-Moscow via Ulaanbaatar)
are noted for smuggling. Search your
compartment and secure the cabin door
before departure. Petty theft from
overnight trains is also common.
You should only travel during daylight hours. Monitor local
media and inform trusted contacts of your travel plans.
Political situation
China is a one-party state. Though China
is very open to foreign visitors, you should
be aware of political and cultural
sensitivities in conversation with Chinese
people.
Avoid any demonstrations or large gatherings. The Chinese
authorities enforce public order strictly and you may face arrest,
deportation or detention. You may also risk becoming a target
yourself when general anti-foreign sentiment runs high. Keep
yourself informed of developments and follow the advice of the
local authorities. During periods of tension, some news
reporting, access to text-messaging, the internet and to
international telephone lines may be blocked.
Terrorism
There is a general threat from terrorism in
China, but the risk of attacks is higher in
the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region.
There has been an increase in the scale
and frequency of violent attacks in China,
and the Chinese government has blamed
extremist Uyghur groups.
Although foreigners have not been specifically targeted, attacks
could occur in places visited by foreigners. You should be
particularly vigilant in Xinjiang. Outside of Xinjiang you should
be vigilant when transiting public transport hubs, which have
been the subject of recent attacks.
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A number of people were injured in a knife
attack at Guangzhou railway station on 6
March 2015. There was also a knife attack
at Kunming railway station on 1 March
2014 which killed 33 and injured more
than 140. On 28 October 2013, a car
crashed in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, in
what police described as a terrorist suicide
attack.
Typhoons
The tropical cyclone (typhoon) season in
China normally runs from May to
November, affecting the southern and
eastern coastal regions of China.
You should monitor the progress of approaching storms and
follow the advice of the local authorities.
Flooding
Flooding is common during the wet
season (May to November). Large areas
of central, southern and western China,
particularly those bordering the Yangtze
River (Chang Jiang) experienced severe
flooding in June 2011. Gansu Province
experienced major flooding in May 2012.
Heavy rains also triggered landslides in
Zhejiang and Hubei provinces. In July
2012, Guizhou Province and Beijing were
similarly affected
Monitor local weather reports and follow any evacuation orders.
Free time:
Gambling is illegal in mainland China.
Police carry out random passport checks,
especially during periods of heightened
security and major sporting or political
events. Failure to produce your ID can
lead to a fine or detention.
Drugs:
Foreign nationals over 16 years of age must carry their
passport with them at all times.
The Chinese authorities undertake
random drug testing on foreign nationals.
If a foreign national tests positive, the
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Health:
Chinese authorities can prosecute
regardless of where or when the drugs
had been consumed. There are extremely
severe penalties for drugs offences,
including the death penalty.
Tap water in China is generally not safe to
drink.
If you need emergency medical
assistance during your trip, dial 120 and
ask for an ambulance. Ambulances can
be very slow to arrive and may not have
trained responders.
The high levels of air pollution in major
urban and industrialised areas in China
may aggravate bronchial, sinus or asthma
conditions. Children, the elderly and those
with pre-existing medical conditions may
be especially affected.
The extreme altitude (over 3,000m) in
some mountainous areas of China,
including Tibet, parts of Xinjiang-Uighur
Autonomous Region and Qinghai
Province, may cause altitude sickness.
Dengue fever is present in some parts of
China mainly during the rainy season.
There has been a large increase in cases
of dengue fever in Guangdong province.
If you’re on prescription medication, make
sure you either bring enough with you, or
have access to a supply once in China.
Certain medicines may not be available in
China (including major brands readily
available in the UK), and you may be
prohibited from bringing some medicines
into the country.
Healthcare is not provided free of charge
in China and medical bills can be high.
You should drink only bottled water.
You should contact your insurance/medical assistance
company promptly if you’re referred to a medical facility for
treatment.
You can check the pollution index levels for many cities on the
aqicn.info website.
You should take appropriate precautions to avoid being bitten
by mosquitoes. Cover your arms and legs and use a mosquito
net at night.
For more information and advice, check with your GP and the
Embassy of China before travelling.
Make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance covering
healthcare for the duration of your stay.
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Medical evacuation from China is very
expensive.
Earthquakes
China is prone to earthquakes. An
earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck parts
of Xinjiang on 12 February 2014.
Please check with local authorities before travelling to this area.
Please also note and be sensitive to the following:

Homosexuality is not illegal although there are no specific laws in place to protect the rights of LGBT people.
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