🛡️ Tips for China Travel
Emergency Numbers in China
& What to Do If You Need Help
If something goes wrong while you're visiting, here's exactly what to do.
🎯 Quick Answer
Three numbers save lives in China: 110 (police), 120 (ambulance), 119 (fire). All have English-speaking operators. Save your embassy number before you arrive.
📞 The Three Numbers You Need
🚔 Police
For any emergency — even if you need medical help. They can connect you to English-speaking officers.
🚑 Ambulance
Medical emergency hotline. Operators can arrange English-speaking assistance.
🚒 Fire
Fire emergency. Use for any fire-related situation.
💡 Emergency tip: If you can't speak, text your location to 12110 (emergency SMS service). Operators monitor this for people who can't make voice calls.
🗣️ What to Do If You Can't Speak Chinese
This is the biggest challenge in an emergency. Before you need it, save this phrase on your phone:
📱 Save this to your phone:
请帮我报警，我是外国人，需要翻译。
(Qǐng bāng wǒ bào jǐng, wǒ shì wàiguó rén, xūyào fānyì.)
"Please help me call the police. I'm a foreigner and need a translator."
🏛️ Your Embassy or Consulate
If you lose your passport, get into legal trouble, or have a serious emergency, contact your country's embassy or consulate.
| Country | Beijing Contact | Shanghai Contact | Guangzhou Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States | 010-8531-3000 | 021-8011-2200 | 020-3814-5000 |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 010-5192-4000 | 021-3279-2000 | 020-8314-3000 |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 010-5139-4000 | 021-3279-2800 | 020-8611-6100 |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | 010-5140-4111 | 021-2215-5200 | 020-3814-0111 |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 010-8532-9000 | 021-3401-0106 | 020-8313-0121 |
| 🇫🇷 France | 010-8531-2000 | 021-6103-6300 | 020-2829-2000 |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 010-8531-9800 | 021-5257-4766 | 020-8334-3009 |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 010-8531-0700 | 021-6295-5000 | 020-2919-2999 |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | 010-6505-9393 | 021-6278-5566 | 020-3891-2345 |
⚠️ Embassy contact details can change and your country may not be listed in the table. Please check your country's official embassy website before you travel.
🆘 Steps for Common Emergencies
📘 Lost or Stolen Passport
- 1. Call 110 or go to the nearest police station
- 2. Get a police report (报警回执 / bào jǐng huí zhí) — you need this for the embassy
- 3. Contact your embassy for an emergency travel document
- 4. Go to your embassy in person with the police report and a passport photo
- 5. Most embassies can issue an emergency passport within 1-5 business days
🏥 Medical Emergency
- 1. Call 120 for an ambulance, or go directly to a hospital ER
- 2. Major public hospitals have International Departments with English-speaking staff
- 3. Call your travel insurance provider — they can help coordinate payment and find English-speaking doctors
- 4. If you can't communicate, show the hospital staff your passport and insurance card
💰 Lost Wallet / No Money
- 1. Go to the nearest police station — they can help you contact your embassy
- 2. Go to any hotel — the front desk can help you call your embassy
- 3. Use WeChat/Alipay — they're accepted almost everywhere, even if your wallet is gone
📡 No Internet
- 1. Find a hotel lobby — any hotel will let you use their WiFi
- 2. Starbucks or McDonald's — free WiFi available (ask staff for the password)
- 3. Go to a China Unicom, China Mobile, or China Telecom store — they can help with SIM issues
📝 Emergency Phrases to Keep on Your Phone
| Situation | Chinese | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | 救命！ | Jiù mìng! |
| Call the police | 报警 | Bào jǐng |
| I need an ambulance | 我需要救护车 | Wǒ xūyào jiùhù chē |
| I'm lost | 我迷路了 | Wǒ mílù le |
| I don't feel well | 我感觉不舒服 | Wǒ gǎnjué bù shūfu |
| My passport is stolen | 我的护照被偷了 | Wǒ de hùzhào bèi tōu le |
| Where is the hospital? | 最近的医院在哪里？ | Zuìjìn de yīyuàn zài nǎlǐ? |
| Take me here | 带我去这里 | Dài wǒ qù zhèlǐ |