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General Information
- Official name: People’s Republic of China (中华人民共和国, Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó)
- Population: 1,439,323,776 (2020)
- Capital: Beijing (北京, Běijīng)
- Currency: Renminbi (¥, CNY)
- Time zone: GMT +8
- Official language: Mandarin Chinese
- Country code: +86
Traveling to China
International Tourism
China is in fourth place globally in terms of the number of international tourists received.
Infrastructure
China has excellent and modern infrastructure.
Tourism Industry
China has a highly developed tourism industry but its facilities are often saturated due to the significant growth in domestic tourism.
Safety
China is a relatively safe country for international travelers.
Main Problems Faced by Tourists
The language barrier and cultural differences.
Visas
The majority of nationalities require a visa to enter China. There are some exceptions for travelers in transit.
Other Important Information
Foreigners are required to register their stay with the local police station (hotels usually do this).
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Living in China
Cost of Living
There are huge differences in the cost of living depending on the region of the country. While the main Chinese cities have costs of living that are similar to cities in developed countries, third-tier cities are still relatively cheap.
Job Market
China continues to offer good job opportunities for qualified workers in certain sectors, including education, science, cutting-edge technologies and trade, among others.
Wages
Wages have gone up over the past years, although with a few exceptions, they are still far below those of the most competitive destinations.
Health Insurance
Public health coverage in China is limited and the quality isn’t always comparable to Western systems. Because of this, it’s a good idea to get a good health insurance policy that covers medical attention at private centers.
Visas
Work visas are quite strict and can be difficult to get. To be able to work in China, it’s necessary to demonstrate that the employee has experience and knowledge in one of the country’s key sectors.
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Business in China
Market Openness
China has a free-market economy but restrictions on capital transactions and foreign investment exist and its currency is highly regulated.
Legal Certainty
This aspect has improved over the past years, but legislation continues to be ambiguous and open to some arbitrariness.
Setting up a Company
Setting up a company in China can be complicated due to the bureaucracy, restrictions that exist in certain sectors of activity and the arbitrariness of governments in granting certain permits.
Imports and Exports
China is the world’s top exporter both in terms of total and net exports, with exports representing a significant proportion of its GDP. In terms of imports, it comes in second place following the United States.
Domestic Market
Despite being the most populated country on earth, its domestic market is still far behind the most developed economies. The Chinese market is relatively closed and it’s difficult for new products and services from abroad to establish a demand.
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Learning Chinese
Features
Chinese is a tonal language with a multitude of dialects, some of which are mutually unintelligible. However, all dialects share a common writing system and grammar.
Time Needed
This depends on many factors. Generally, one year of exclusive study in an adequate environment is considered sufficient to acquire a level enabling effective communication.
Easy Aspects
Chinese grammar isn’t based on strict rules like Western languages, and is usually the part of the language that the majority of students find simple.
Difficult Aspects
Writing and pronunciation tend to be the elements that non-native students find the most difficult, especially non-Asians.