Is it dangerous to travel to China? With the recent increase in tensions between the United States and China, is there a travel ban? this is a question that is on many people’s minds. Although there are no current travel warnings for China issued by the U.S. State Department.
It is important to know that American travelers need a tourist visa before they can enter the country. One reason for this is that there are certain regions of China that require extra approval from Chinese authorities before entering.
Is China Safe for Tourists Now?
China is usually a safe country to visit, as long as you know where you’re going and stay alert, and don’t trigger any threats of violence. Everybody from all over the world comes to China to visit, and it isn’t dangerous for anyone who knows the culture and obeys the law.
There are a lot of restrictions on websites and news coverage that come from outside of China. Internet censorship and public surveillance are common in China. Chinese nationals don’t want you to participate in demonstrations or protests that happen in public. If you take a picture or video of one, you could get in trouble.
Here are a few more things to keep in mind when you visit China.
Safety in public places
Chinese citizens aren’t very dangerous. Crowds in public places should not be a big deal. It’s still possible to be robbed, armed robbery, or pickpocketed in tourist areas, at train stations, and on sleeper buses and overnight trains, but these are small risks.
Keep an eye on your passport because you’ll need it to buy many things in China, like SIM cards, train tickets, and so on. You should also always have photocopies and digital copies of your passport on hand for your personal safety or else you may face harsh penalties.
This is true for many Asian countries, where crossing the road safely is more dangerous because of lax road rules, especially in smaller cities with few stop signs and more cars.
Even if you’re crossing on a green pedestrian light, make sure you look both ways and cross safely, because there have been times when foreign visitors have been seriously hurt by late-coming cars.
Taxis are also something to be careful about. Always get in a taxi from the marked taxi stand in a city. Make sure the meter is on. Some taxis don’t have seatbelts, and the drivers are known to be crazy, so if you’re not comfortable, ask for one with belts.
Environmental and weather safety
China has had a lot of problems with the environment because of the rise of the industry for a long time. Every day, keep an eye out for air quality indexes, especially in hotter seasons. If the air quality is bad, don’t go outside and do a lot of outdoor things.
During the months from April to October, the level of risk of typhoons and monsoons is very common in China. They are most common in the south and southeast coastal areas between these months.
At this time, low-lying areas near the Yangzi and Li rivers can also be hit by floods. If you’re going to be traveling, exercise caution on the weather all the time.
Is China Safe for Solo Travelers?
More and more international visitors are going to go to China alone. In China, many people wonder whether it’s safe for women to go on their own.
People who have been to China and worked in China say that solo female tourists don’t have to be afraid of being hurt. But still, women need to be very careful when they go on vacation.
A single woman traveler should check out our well-designed English-speaking China Small Group Tours, which visit places like Beijing and Xian as well as Guilin and Hong Kong. They also visit Tibet and Mount Everest.
Tips for Female Tourists in China
Be Cautious Appropriately
You should use your common sense when you’re in China. It’s like any other country: It has a lot of problems. There are some bad people and crimes. There are risks in China, though, so you should act normally and take care. If you do that, you’ll be fine.
Take Care of Your Stuff, be Aware of Thief
When there is a lot of people at a train station or in a market or on a pedestrian street, thieves try to get their hands on valuables like wallets and cameras, so they look for them.
Don’t be alone at night.
When Taking a Taxi
First, don’t take a “black cab,” which is a taxi that isn’t owned or run by the government. Because it might not be safe, but the driver might charge a lot.
It’s also possible to make the taximeter work and charge you based on how much the driver says it will cost.
When Shopping
Make sure you don’t fall for scams or cheat. There may be people on the street who sell fake goods or jewels for a lot of money. As long as you don’t want to buy anything, you don’t have to listen.
Dress Approximately
So don’t dress too sexy because it could be dangerous at night and it’s disrespectful to visit the temples in the dark.
How Safe Is China for Travel? 2022 Traveler Safety Information.
In general, China is a safe place to go, and most people you meet are friendly, honest, and trustworthy.
The weather can change your travel plans, there are new health risks that you may not be aware of and accidents do happen in China.
China Travel General Information
It’s possible to go to China, but only if it’s open. In China, you can go from one province to another (except for areas with medium or high risk).
Is China Safe NOW?
Coronavirus pandemic COVID-19 has been the big story in the last two years. People have been getting sick. Even though the outbreak has been contained well inside China’s borders, there is still a risk of a resurgence, especially from infections that come from outside the country.
For this reason, there are a lot of restrictions on where you can go right now, and China has a lot of rules in place to keep people safe. Below, you can see the next section, Section 5.
There have been fewer and fewer natural disasters in the last few years, and they haven’t killed any foreign tourists. Warning systems and help are always getting better thanks to China’s huge investment in infrastructure.
Humans haven’t been sick with bird flu or swine flu for a very long time now. Those problems have been small and short-lived, and now they’re all over.
Expat travel is still possible in China, but quarantine rules make foreign tourists stay away. A recent example shows how tourism in China is starting to get back on its feet after a long time.
An Encouraging Story: Guide’s First Foreign Tourist in 4 Months
MeijiawuMeijiawu Tea Plantation is one of many attractions in China that have reopened since the COVID-19 virus spread across the country in 2013.
For our tour guide, Gerry, May 17th, 2020 was a very different day. He has worked as an English-speaking tour guide in Hangzhou for years. During that day, the first international guest he had since the new coronavirus was found was served at his home that day.
1. The Largest Safety Risks in China
Getting hurt in China as a tourist is more likely to happen because of things like high blood pressure, accidents on the road or during other tourist activities, or getting sick because you don’t wash your hands well enough or stay hydrated.
Road Traffic Accidents
In terms of road deaths, China is around 90th in the world. This is better than most developing countries, similar to India, and not as bad as the United States, which is less than 20% worse. Statistically, it’s better for you to go on a trip with China than it is for you to go Highlights of private transportation
Tourism Related Accidents
Follow your guide’s advice and safety rules while you’re on a trip. As a developing country, China still has more risks than your home country.
Even though many of China’s attractions and facilities are well-designed and risk-adjusted, there are still probably more risks than there are in your home country. Watch where you step. Slips, trips, and falls can happen.
Take care to avoid them. Keep an eye on your head, and be careful of sharp edges, loose objects, wires, and more.
It’s up to you if you want to do more dangerous things like rock climbing, swimming, white-water rafting, and so on. In order to make sure that your travel insurance covers what you plan to do, you need to check.
People who go on vacation to China should think about getting travel insurance. We work with some of the best online travel insurance companies that sell insurance for trips to China.
Health Issues
The main things that could hurt your health are things like eating something you shouldn’t, not wearing enough clothes for the weather, overexertion, and getting an infection.
Check out our weather pages for the month and places you’re going to see what you need to bring. (Also, if you live above 2,500 meters, you can get altitude sickness.) This mostly happens on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
Make sure you’re ready and take precautions. Always take any medicine you need.
I don’t think this is more important now than it is with the coronaviruses.
2. Crime in China
By and large, China is a country with a low crime against foreigners rate. Petty crime is still an issue, and tourists are especially at risk. The more you know about possible risks and common scams, the easier it will be to have a safe and smooth trip in China.
Do your best to stay safe, especially in tourist areas and places with lots of people, such as markets.
When it’s dark, be extra careful. When possible, stay in places that are well-known and well-lit.
Check out what our local guides have to say. If they say an area is dangerous, don’t go there.
Theft in China
Wallets, phones, cameras, jewelry, and laptops are all good targets for thieves.
Try not to carry a lot of money or things that show how much money you have. Keep your wallet or purse out of sight (back pockets are a big no-no). When paying for things, don’t show your wallet around. Carry some loose change for people who ask for money.
You should keep an eye on your things when you’re in a lot of people, like on public buses, on trains, at city center bus stops, and on big shopping streets.
Don’t want to be in a crowd with a lot of valuables hanging from you, like your camera or purse. You can’t watch everything.
Purse theft is a risk. Keep important things close to you.
Keep an eye on your pockets when you get out of taxis, buses, or trains. Make sure there are no things that have slipped out of them. The thing may not be there when you come back for it in five minutes, even if you come back.
Keep Your Valuables Safe
It is important to make sure that you keep your passport and other important documents safe by keeping them on you, preferably in an envelope or money belt that is hidden under your clothes.
It’s a good idea not to leave valuables lying around your hotel room or in your car. People at the hotel can put things in the safe.
Carry a copy of your passport and other important documents in a separate bag.
Local laws
The laws and penalties in your new country, no matter how harsh they seem by your own country’s standards, still apply to you.
For example, there are strict laws that don’t allow demonstrations unless the government gives them permission first. The death penalty is one of the harshest punishments for drug crimes, as well as for some other serious crimes.
A lot of officials in China have been making it more difficult for people to get visas. This is because China is celebrating its 70th anniversary of becoming a country and is still feeling the effects of the trade war with the United States.
It is important to keep your visa up-to-date and follow the visa rules. Overstaying their visas or working in China while on a tourist visa has become much more important to immigration officials, so they are now very careful. If you stay on the right visa, you can still work and visit China.
When Lost or in Difficulty
Most of the people who work for the police in China are very nice, but they don’t speak very much English. The exceptions are Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, where some police can speak simple English very well. If you don’t know where you are, ask for directions. Most people will be more than happy to help you out.
A simple note in both Chinese and English that has the same words and phrases is a good way to improve communication. Carry a card with the name and address of your hotel in Chinese, too.
3. Natural Disasters and Adverse Weather
If there is a natural disaster, you should follow the advice of the people in your area.
Flooding and Landslides
Between April and September, it rains. Rural areas near the Yangtze River, the Li River, and other rivers may flood during their rainy seasons. This could affect tourism on or near rivers.
This is true in China’s mountainous areas, like Yunnan and Sichuan province, and Tibet. Landslides are more likely to happen during the monsoon season in these areas. They might make it difficult to get in and out in the summer, but snow and melting water might also make things difficult in the winter and spring.
Earthquakes
Sichuan Province has had a lot of big earthquakes in the last few years. In 2013, a quake hit the area around the Panda Research Base and the city of Leshan, but no tourists were hurt. Destroyed the area, stopped tourism for two years, and killed at least eight people. Tourists haven’t been harmed by other earthquakes in far-off places.
Typhoons
Typhoons can happen during the wet season, which is usually from June to August, on the southern and eastern coasts. They can also happen in the north. Monitor the weather reports if you’re going to be in an area where it’s bad.
4. Other Possible Concerns
Some people in Hong Kong are angry, and they’ve been making the news all over the world. As long as these protests haven’t ended, the Hong Kong government hasn’t been able to run smoothly.
There is no sign that these protests or the Hong Kong police’s response to them are dangerous for visitors from outside of Hong Kong. Traveling in Hong Kong should be done with caution, especially near areas where protests are taking place. However, Hong Kong is still a safe place for international travelers.
Exit Bans
One more thing discussed in the news recently is the Chinese government’s ban on people leaving the country. It is used to keep foreigners and Chinese people from leaving or traveling outside of China, so exit bans are used to do this.
There has been a long trade war between the US and China, and now these are being used more often on US business travelers who go to China to do their work. Even so, most exit bans are used on Chinese people who want to leave the country.
Again, China still wants foreign tourists to come, and there have been no documented cases of a tourist visa holder being banned from leaving the country.
Is Hong Kong Travel Tips in 2022?
Hong Kong has stopped flights from a lot of countries, like Australia. Those who have been in these countries for at least 2 hours in 14 days are not allowed to board a plane bound for Hong Kong.
From February 5, the required quarantine period for people who come into the country has been cut from 21 days to 14 days. Travelers will have to stay in a quarantined hotel for 14 days, then do self-monitoring for another 7 days.
Hong Kong’s Special Administrative Region doesn’t recognize dual citizenship anymore because of a law that was passed by the People’s Republic of China (see ‘Local laws’ for more).
As we said before, Hong Kong’s National Security Law could be interpreted very loosely, and you could break the law even if you didn’t mean to. If you don’t want to stay in Hong Kong because of the new law, think again.
COVID-19 – Global Travel Advisory
There was a Covid-19 pandemic in China that started in the province of Hubei, but the country was able to stop it quickly because of strict lockdowns. However, most people haven’t been allowed in yet.
This is what the International Olympic Committee said: The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games will be open to domestic tourists, but not international ones.
This is what they said: People who have been fully vaccinated will be allowed to skip the 21-day quarantine, but only those who have been fully vaccinated can.
During the Paralympics, which start on February 4, the games will end on March 13. These rules will be in place for the whole time.
Who can go?
China closed its borders to most travelers in March 2020, when the pandemic spread across Europe.
Restrictions on March 15, 2021, were eased for a group of people from 23 countries, but not everyone.
Visas can be applied for by people who want to come to the country for work or humanitarian reasons, like meeting up with family. People who have the APEC Business Travel Card can also apply for visas. People who live there may also return.
If you’ve had the China-made Sinovac vaccine, you might not get a visa to visit the country. The Chinese embassy in the United States said on April 20 that people who had Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines would also be allowed to visit the country.
Returned2HK started on September 15, 2021, and it will last until September 15, 2022. Under this plan, 2,000 people from Macao and the rest of China will be able to enter Hong Kong each day without being quarantined.
What Are The Restrictions?
Each traveler must show proof of two negative tests, PCR and antibody tests, that were done in the 48 hours before they left.
For newly qualified people, they must have had two doses of Covid-19 vaccines at least 14 days before they can enter. When they arrive, they must show proof of vaccination as well as the negative tests they took. They must also apply for a visa in advance and show their vaccination records.
People who arrive at the airport are screened again. They will be sent to Chinese government facilities if they don’t pass the checks. You then have to quarantine when you arrive. Some places require 14 days; others, 21. At a government facility or in your own home, this might be the case.
Zhang Wenhong, an infectious disease expert who is one of China’s most important advisers on Covid strategy, said in a social media post on November 28 that China’s current rapid response and dynamic clearance strategy can handle any new coronavirus variants that come out.
What’s the Covid situation?
At the end of January 2019, China had 118,030 cases, and 4,849 people had died from them. About 85% of the adult population has been fully vaccinated against the flu.
China, like many other countries, has taken very strict steps to stop the Omicron variant from getting into their country.
It was December when the first two cases of Omicron were found in Tianjin and Guangzhou, both in China. Both cases were found in people who had come back to China after going on a trip outside of China.
On December 22, tourism in Yunnan Province, which borders Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand, was suspended for good.
The situation in Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi province, has been very bad. At the end of December, the city was put on level one lockdown because of a lot of Omicron cases that were spread by people in the city. It’s the largest number since March 2020, when there were about 1,600.
It’s not going to be possible to fly in or out of Xi’an’s international airport from January 5.
What Can Visitors Expect?
Life is mostly back to normal, but things can change quickly in China. Every time there is a new outbreak of the virus, regional lockdowns are put in place in the area.
A good example: in late December 2021, there was an outbreak of the Omicron variant in Xi’an, a city famous for its terracotta warriors. The government took extreme steps to protect the city and its people.
Many people are now stuck in their homes. It’s been a long time since there was a lockdown in Wuhan, China, at the start of the pandemic. There have been reports of food shortages and not enough medical care for the people who have been kept in their homes.
Conclusion
Is it dangerous to travel to China? It is not dangerous to travel to China. The safety concerns are grossly exaggerated and many people live, work, and travel in China without any problems.
Most of the safety concerns about the country are unfounded. The reality is that millions of people live, work, and travel in China without any problems. There are some places to avoid like Tibet where there are tensions with the government, but these are exceptions to the rule.
