China

SAFETY: very good
In general,  this is a safe country with no particular risk areas.  The border areas with Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan should be avoided. Xinjiang should be considered an area requiring caution, owing to the presence of a local independence movement of Turkic ethnicity and Islamic faith which in the past has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks (although the authorities have the area under control). Frequent thefts and assaults are reported on the Trans-Manchurian railway line from Beijing to Moscow (a section of the Trans-Siberian). Petty crime (theft and pickpocketing, particularly of documents and passports) is on the rise in the major urban centres.

TRANSPORT: adequate
The transport system is varied and widespread, especially in the eastern part of the country; in the western part it is sparse, but so is urbanisation. Frequent  domestic and international air connections  with Italy from various cities and with the whole region. Several domestic airlines operate and are constantly expanding. The intercity coach network, of varying category and standard, is also frequent and well served, and reaches almost every town in the country. Many roads, however, are not in good condition and journey times can be long. The rail network is very extensive and constantly improving.

Main airports:  Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Main ports: Dalian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Huangpu, Lianyungang, Nanjing, Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shantou, Tianjin, Xiamen, Xingang, Yantai, Zhanjiang.

ACCOMMODATION: adequate
Within the tourist circuit and in the larger cities there are good hotels of various standards. The higher categories meet European standards; the lower categories do not guarantee good levels of comfort and cleanliness. Outside the classic circuit, accommodation is scarce and of average standard.

COUNTRY FACTS: Full name: People’s Republic of China  – Location: East Asia. Borders: Mongolia and Russia to the north, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to the north-west, Tajikistan and Afghanistan to the west, Pakistan and India to the south-west, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam to the south, North Korea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea to the east -  Time zone: UTC +8, 7 hours ahead of Italy, 6 during daylight saving time – Area: 9,596,000 sq km – Capital: Beijing – Population: 1,320,000,000 – Religion: Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism,  Christian and Muslim minorities – Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official language), a great many regional languages; English is little spoken -  Measures: metric system.

CURRENCY: Renminbi (CNY). There are no limits on importing or exporting foreign currency (subject to declaration above 5,000 USD), but importing and exporting renminbi is prohibited  – Credit cards: the most widely used credit cards and traveller’s cheques are accepted - Exchange: bring euros.

ELECTRICITY: 220 V and 50 Hz (as in Italy)  – Sockets:  types A, I, G (bring an adapter).

DOCUMENTS:  a passport valid for at least 6 months  and a visa are required, the latter to be applied for from the Chinese diplomatic authorities in Italy. The tourist visa is obtained in about a week by completing the relevant form (downloadable from the website of the Chinese Embassy in Italy) and providing confirmation of flight and/or hotel booking, a passport photo and payment of the fee; it is valid for 3 months for a stay of 30/60 days maximum. Visas cannot be obtained at border posts. For Tibet a separate permit is required, issued only by certain authorised agencies and only for group travel.  -  Driving: national and international driving licences are not recognised; a special temporary permit must be applied for from the regional authorities in China (this includes a driving lesson and a medical examination)  – Car: local third-party insurance.

COMMUNICATIONS AND TELEPHONES: Int. dialling code: 0086 – GSM: coverage in the eastern part of the country; very poor in the west  and in Tibet. Standard: GSM 900. Local operators: China Mobile, China Unicom -  Internet: widely available in the major urban centres and in the large hotels – Web domain: .cn . – Emergency numbers: police 110, traffic police 122, fire brigade 119, ambulance 120, roadside assistance 400 8108202, international operator 115.

RULES, LAWS AND CONDUCT: the use or trafficking of drugs (including small quantities), prostitution and offences against minors are strictly prohibited by law, and extremely heavy penalties are in force, including arrest and imprisonment up to the death penalty. In  China the age of consent is 14; officially homosexuality does not exist and is not legal, episodes of repression are very frequent, and the utmost caution is advised.

HEALTH:  no compulsory vaccinations. Overall hygiene and health standards are good in the larger cities, much less so in small towns and on the outskirts. Several cases of avian flu have been recorded in recent years. Public facilities are below the average European standard. The larger cities and the capital have good private clinics, but they are very expensive. Pharmacies are fairly widespread in the larger cities.

 
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS: 1 January, New Year’s Day; 8 March, Women’s Day; 1 May, Labour Day; 4 May, Youth Day; 1 June, Children’s Day; 1 July, Chinese Communist Party Day; 1 August, People’s Liberation Army Day; 1 October, National Day of the People’s Republic of China. Other holidays follow the Chinese calendar: Chunjie, the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival (between late January and mid-February, lasting 3 days); the Lantern Festival (15 days after the Lunar New Year); the Festival of the Dead, Qingming (in the third month, in early April); the Dragon Boat Festival (the fifth day of the fifth month, around late May and early June); the Mid-Autumn Festival (the fifteenth day of the eighth month, around late September and early October).

OPENING HOURS:Post offices:  Mon-Sat  8.00-19.00.  Banks: Mon-Fri 9.00-12.00,  13.00-17.00.   Shops: Mon-Sat 9.00-19.00/20.00.

CLIMATE: varied. Northern China: marked seasonal variation, with hot summers and long, very cold winters. Rainfall is scarce and concentrated in spring and summer. Central China: the regions of the Yellow River and the Yangtze have a hot, humid climate. Very long summers with prolonged periods of rain; short winters with low temperatures. During the summer monsoons there is a risk of flooding. Southern China: tropical areas characterised by high temperatures and heavy rainfall. In summer, typhoons strike the coasts, often violently. Winters are short and mild. Central-western China: very dry, hot summers and very cold, snowy winters. Tibet: temperature swings occur over the course of the day rather than the year; heavy snowfall in winter.

Monthly min/max temperatures (in °C)

Rainy days (at least 1 mm of rain)/rainfall in mm

USEFUL ADDRESSES IN ITALY
Embassy of the People’s Republic of China
Via Bruxelles 56 – 00198 Rome – Tel. 06/8413458
Web: it.china-embassy.org  –  E-mail: chinaemb_it@mfa.cov.cn

Consulates  General
Via Benaco 4 – 20139 Milan – Tel. 02/5520306
Web: milano.china-consulate.org  - E-mail: info@consolatocinami.it

Via della Robbia 89 – 50132 Florence – Tel. 055/5532948

USEFUL ADDRESSES IN CHINA

Italian Embassy
2, 2nd Street East – San Li Tun – 100600 Beijing – Tel. 0086/10/85327600
Web: ambpechino.esteri.it – E-mail: ambasciata.pechino@esteri.it

Consulate  General
Citic Plaza – Unit 5207-08, 233  Tianhe Bei Lu, Tianhe District – 510613 Guangzhou (P.R.C)
Tel. 0086/20/3877055
Web: conscanton.esteri.it – E-mail: consolato.canton@esteri.it