No photographs of military or government sites, drones tightly regulated, zero tolerance for drugs, and what you post online is policed. Practically: 220 V on type and sockets, one national time zone at UTC+8, squat toilets that stock no paper, and tap water that is not drinkable anywhere, big cities included.
- 220 V / 50 Hz; sockets are type and type - flat American pins and the angled Australian three-pin. A European plug needs an adapter.
- One national time zone - Beijing time, UTC+8 - so the winter sun rises very late in the west.
- Shops and restaurants generally run 10:00-22:00, seven days a week.
- Public toilets are easy to find and are mostly squat type; they stock no paper, so carry your own.
- Tap water is not drinkable anywhere in China, major cities included. Bottled water is everywhere and cheap.
- Public Wi-Fi usually needs an SMS code sent to a Chinese number, which makes it useless without a local SIM.
- Do not photograph military sites, barracks, government buildings or border zones.
- Drones and their components are strictly regulated - check with the Civil Aviation Administration of China before you travel with one.
- Zero tolerance on drugs, including cannabis legal where you came from.
Local rules worth taking seriously
- Photography - do not photograph or film military installations, barracks, government buildings, border zones, or uniformed police and military. The FCDO warns that photographing in sensitive areas attracts the attention of the authorities, and that can mean questioning and deletion of your data.
- Drones - the import, possession and use of drones and their components are strictly regulated. The FCDO's advice is to contact the Civil Aviation Administration of China before travelling for the current registration rules. Assume the centre of any large city is closed airspace.
- Drugs: zero tolerance. Possession, supply or trafficking of any quantity, cannabis included, carries very long sentences, life imprisonment or the death penalty. Police run drug tests in clubs and bars, and a positive result from something you took legally before you flew is still a positive result - detention, a fine, deportation and an entry ban.
- What you post is policed. Under the Cybersecurity Law, posts about the political system, officials, or the status of Taiwan or Tibet can bring prosecution or an exit ban.
Everyday practicalities
- Power - 220 V at 50 Hz, sockets type and type . Older buildings still have hybrid outlets that swallow a Europlug, but those were dropped from the national standard in 2021, so bring an adapter rather than counting on one. See the sockets section for the detail.
- Time - the whole country runs on UTC+8, which is why the winter sun comes up as late as 08:30 in Xinjiang and the west.
- Opening hours - malls, supermarkets and restaurants typically 10:00 to 22:00, seven days a week.
- Toilets are easy to find at metro stations and attractions, but are mostly squat type and stock no paper. Carry your own.
- Tap water is not drinkable in China, even in major cities. Bottled water is cheap and everywhere; hotel rooms usually provide a kettle and bottled water.
- Public Wi-Fi is effectively closed to you. Cafés, stations and airports verify by SMS to a Chinese number, so without a local SIM it will not let you on - one more reason to arrive with a working eSIM.
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