Short answer
Yes, China is a very safe country for visitors. Violent crime against tourists is rare, streets in major cities are covered by cameras and well lit, and many travellers report feeling safer walking around at night than at home. Public transport is clean and reliable.
The risk that actually costs tourists money is a small family of approach scams concentrated in a handful of tourist zones — the tea ceremony, the art student, the bar with no posted prices. They all run on the same script: a friendly, fluent-English stranger strikes up a conversation and steers you to a second location.
Beyond that, the everyday dangers are ordinary: traffic (silent electric scooters and red-light running), pickpocketing in dense crowds, and drinking water. Know the emergency numbers, keep your hotel address in Chinese on your phone, and you are well covered.
Emergency numbers in China
There is no single 911. You dial a different three-digit number depending on what is happening. All are free and work 24 hours, including from a phone without a SIM card.
| Number | Service | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 110 | Police | Crime, theft, assault, being scammed, any threat to your safety |
| 120 | Ambulance | Medical emergencies and injuries |
| 119 | Fire and rescue | Fires, gas leaks, someone trapped |
| 122 | Traffic accidents | Road collisions, including between vehicles |
| 12345 | City services hotline | Non-emergency complaints and government enquiries; several cities offer English |
| 12315 | Consumer protection | Overcharging, fraudulent bills, refusing a refund |
| 12367 | Immigration | Visa status, overstay, entry and exit questions |
Dispatchers generally speak Mandarin and English is not guaranteed — it is likelier in Beijing and Shanghai than in smaller cities. Two things make the call work regardless of language:
- Have your exact address written in Chinese, saved offline on your phone, ready to read out or show.
- Use a translation app on speaker. It is slow but it works, and it is far better than shouting English.
For non-urgent police matters — reporting a lost item, filing a report after the fact — go to the nearest police station (派出所) in person, where you can use a translation app face to face. Expect the process to take an hour or more.
The scams that actually target tourists
Almost every tourist scam in China is the same machine in a different costume. It starts with an unprompted approach in fluent English in a tourist zone, continues with an invitation to somewhere nearby, a tea house, a gallery, a bar, a "cultural experience", and ends with a bill you never agreed to.
| Scam | How it opens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Tea ceremony | Friendly strangers invite you to a traditional tea tasting; several pots later the bill is in the thousands of yuan | Never follow a stranger to a venue you did not choose. Walk on. |
| Art student | Two polite "students" invite you to a free exhibition of their work nearby, then pressure you to buy | Decline and keep walking. There is no exhibition. |
| Bar / champagne overcharge | A stranger recommends a "local bar with a view", orders for you, then a huge bill arrives and they vanish | Only drink where you chose the venue and prices are posted. |
| Black taxi / airport overcharge | Unlicensed drivers approach you inside the terminal before the official rank, quoting a fixed price | Use the official taxi rank or a ride-hailing app ordered in-app. |
| Meter tampering | A licensed cab whose meter runs implausibly fast, or a "luggage fee" added at arrival | Compare the fare against an app estimate before you pay. |
| Counterfeit money / note swap | A driver or vendor swaps your note for a fake and claims yours was counterfeit | Break large notes at banks and hotels; pay by phone where you can. |
| Ticket scalpers | "Sold out" tickets offered on the street at inflated prices | Book through official channels only. If it is sold out, it is sold out. |
| Souvenir bait-and-switch | Goods swapped for inferior ones, or a price per unit that turns out to be per gram | Agree the total price and the item before paying; avoid markets with no posted prices. |
Taxis, airports and getting around safely
- Use the official taxi rank or a ride-hailing app. In China the practical app is DiDi, which has an English interface, sets the price in-app and gives you a digital receipt, the single best defence against fare games.
- Ignore anyone who approaches you inside an airport or station offering a car. These are unlicensed drivers, and their quoted price is usually several times the metered fare.
- Insist on the meter if you take a street taxi,
打表(dǎbiǎo) means "use the meter". Check the fare against an app estimate before paying. - Metro is the safest option in every big city: fixed fares, no negotiation, and no language problem. See our metro and taxi guide.
- Photograph the taxi licence number on the dashboard or windscreen when you get in. It costs nothing and resolves disputes.
If a scam does work
- Don't escalateDo not argue or fight over a bill in a closed venue. Your safety is worth more than the money, and the situation is recoverable afterwards.
- Pay by credit card if you canA card payment gives you chargeback leverage. Cash is gone; a card dispute is not.
- Photograph the bill, the menu and the venuePhotographs of the bill and any posted prices are the evidence that matters for both a police report and a chargeback.
- Keep the receiptAnd note the address. You will need it in the next step.
- Report it; it works more often than you'd expectCall 110, or 12315 for consumer complaints. Travellers do get money refunded this way, especially with a clear bill and a card receipt.
- Then dispute the card chargeFile the chargeback with your card issuer, attaching the photos and any report reference.
Everyday safety: the boring stuff that matters
Traffic
This is the most realistic way a visitor gets hurt in China. Electric scooters are almost silent, they use bike lanes, pavements and crossings alike, and they may come at you from the wrong direction. Look both ways twice. Do not assume a green pedestrian signal means the road is clear of turning vehicles.
Water and food
Do not drink the tap water, including in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. Boiled water or sealed bottled water is the norm everywhere; hotels supply bottled water and restaurants serve hot tea. Tap water is fine for washing and brushing your teeth. Food hygiene in busy restaurants is generally good, high turnover is your friend.
Crowds, theft and nightlife
Pickpocketing is uncommon but not impossible in dense tourist crowds, metro interchanges and night markets. Keep phones and wallets in a front pocket or zipped bag. At night, stick to venues you chose, watch your drink, and be wary of anyone unusually eager to take you somewhere "better".
Laws worth knowing
Drug offences carry severe penalties in China, with no tolerance for personal-use arguments, do not accept anything offered as a recreational drug. Photography is restricted at some government, military and border sites, and drone use requires permission. Carry your passport: it is your legal ID and you may be asked for it.
If you lose your passport
- File a police reportGo to the nearest police station and report the loss. Keep the loss certificate, everything else depends on it.
- Contact your embassy or consulateThey issue the emergency travel document or replacement passport. Most foreign missions are in Beijing, with consulates in the major cities, check yours before you travel.
- Sort out your immigration statusIf you need to stay longer while waiting for documents, deal with it through the immigration hotline or your local exit-entry office rather than overstaying.
Frequently asked questions
Is China safe for tourists?
Yes. Violent crime against visitors is rare, major cities are heavily camera-monitored and public transport is safe and reliable at all hours. The realistic risks are tourist scams, traffic, and petty theft in crowded places.
Is it safe to walk around at night?
In major cities, generally yes, streets are well lit and busy into the evening. Use the same judgement you would anywhere: stick to areas you know, avoid isolated spots, and only go to venues you chose yourself.
What is the most common scam in China?
The tea ceremony scam. A friendly English-speaking stranger invites you to a traditional tea tasting at a nearby tea house; several pots later the bill runs into thousands of yuan. The art student scam and the overpriced bar scam use the same approach.
What number do I call for police in China?
110. For an ambulance call 120, for fire call 119, and for a traffic accident call 122. There is no single all-purpose number. English support is patchy, so have your address written in Chinese ready.
Do I need to worry about pickpockets?
Less than in most comparable tourist destinations, but keep phones and wallets secure in dense crowds, metro interchanges and night markets. Carry a card or two separately from your main wallet, and keep a digital copy of your passport.
Can I drink the tap water in China?
No, not in any major city. Drink boiled or sealed bottled water. Tap water is fine for washing and brushing your teeth, and hotels provide bottled water in the room.
What should I do if I'm scammed?
Don't escalate. Pay by credit card if possible, photograph the bill and any posted prices, then report it, 110 for police or 12315 for consumer complaints, and file a chargeback with your card issuer. Travellers do recover money this way.
Is it safe to use taxis in China?
Licensed taxis and app-based rides are safe and cheap. The risk is overcharging: unlicensed drivers near airports and stations, and the occasional tampered meter. Order through a ride-hailing app or use the official rank, and insist on the meter.
Related reading
Emergency and hotline numbers follow official municipal guidance (english.shanghai.gov.cn, english.beijing.gov.cn) and current emergency-services references; scam patterns are cross-checked against multiple traveller-safety sources. Hotline English availability, response practice and local scam tactics vary by city and change over time, verify numbers for your destination before you travel.