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Best Health Insurance for Expats in China

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health insurance expats china

One of the most important things you need to consider before moving to China to live is whether you need to take out health insurance or not, and what type of policy to choose.

Click here if you want to send a request for a
free quotation to the broker we recommend at the moment

This article is intended to help you understand what you will find in China, and to provide the information necessary for you to be able to decide whether to take out a health insurance policy and how to choose it.

To do so, we are going to cover the following topics (you can click on the index below to skip directly to the section that you are most interested in).

Health Insurance for Expats in China – Index

  1. Medical attention in China
  2. Why do I need health insurance in China?
  3. Hospitals in China
  4. Types of health insurance in China
  5. What is a broker and why you might need one?
  6. Table comparing health insurance policies for China
  7. How to evaluate the features of a health insurance policy
  8. Send a request for a free quotation to the broker we recommend

[Read more…]

The Best Working VPN for China in January 2019 (with Comparison Table)

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Best VPN for China

Before getting started

This article is a complete guide that is updated monthly on how to easily access Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Youtube and other websites that are blocked in China, using a VPN.

The first part of this article explains what a VPN is, the simplest and most effective way to access the Internet without restrictions.

The second part is a comparative review of ExpressVPN, VyprVPN, NordVPN and VPN Area, in our opinion one of the best VPN providers for China. We compare the prices, functionality and performance of the four VPN.

We also give a short review of the most popular VPN in China and show the results of the survey of VPNs that our readers in China use. On top of that, you will find multiple sections to help you evaluate and optimize your VPN and in general which types of websites are blocked in China.

Important: Many of the VPN services mentioned in the article have offered us exclusive deals for our readers. To get the discount, all you have to do is access the VPN service’s website via one of the links that you’ll find in this article.

Click here if you want to jump directly to the
comparison of the best VPN for China!

What VPN do we recommend for China?

  • ExpressVPN: A VPN that’s easy to use, fast and which has proven to be one of the most reliable VPNs for China over the past years.
  • VyprVPN: A VPN with an excellent quality to price ratio, good performance in China and numerous options for a secure connection.
  • NordVPN: A VPN that is very complete and easy to use. It has a good performance in China if you choose the right server.
  • VPNArea: A VPN that’s less popular in China and a bit difficult to use, but which has one of the best performances on the market at a very low price.

Important: Due to the increased restrictions to VPN which came into effect in October 2017, you should always keep your VPN updated in order to make sure it works at its best.

What is a VPN and why do I need one in China?

As you probably already know, the internet doesn’t work like we would like it to in China and a large number of websites are blocked by the “Great Firewall.” Among the websites that you can’t access there are Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, Twitter and Google+.

There are many other blocked websites, and depending on what you do, it may be virtually impossible for you to work in China without a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The most striking case is probably that of Google.com, which often returns an error message when used from within the Middle Kingdom.

But there is still hope…

In order to solve this problem, you can install a VPN, which masks your I.P. address so that your laptop appears to be connected from the U.S. or Japan even if you are in China.

[Read more…]

Working as a Classical Dance Teacher in China – An Interview with Gessica

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Today we’re interviewing Gessica Cipriano, a classical dance teacher in Jishou, a city located in Hunan Province.

If you’d like to learn more about Gessica and her adventures in China, take a look at her YouTube channel.

Working in a Chinese university

Gessica, first of all thanks for agreeing to answer my questions. Many people ask us how to find a job in China, so let’s start there. How did you get them to take you on as a classical dance teacher at a Chinese university?

Since 2015 I traveled throughout the United States and a little bit in Germany to learn what type of work opportunities can be found abroad in my field, and I dreamed a lot about these two possible destinations. I never actually thought of China and knew nothing about it.

In Spring of 2017, the university’s own international office saw my professional profile online and contacted me about the classical dance teacher position that was open, asking me if I was interested in applying.

Originally I didn’t think I’d want to consider the offer, because even though I’m inclined to traveling and moving around, I never considered Asia, other than a far off fantasy of Japan, but only as a tourist.

However I believe that China literally “called” me in some inexplicable metaphysical way, because, despite my rational side’s unwillingness to accept the idea, my subconscious began suddenly experiencing sleepless nights, almost unwitting daydreams and fantasies about this far off and mysterious world.

So, during yet another sleepless night, I started looking online for more information about this University, in Jishou in Hunan Province. There wasn’t much information available, but despite that I decided to start the application process. [Read more…]

How to Choose Your Travel Insurance for China (and why you need it)

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health insurance in china

Note: If you are only interested on getting a free quotation for a travel agency, then we recommend World Nomads (click here to get your free quotation).

Travel Insurance for China – Index

  1. Why do I need an health insurance when I travel to China?
  2. Hospitals in China
  3. Privacy at the hospital in China
  4. What insurance do we recommend?
  5. What should a good insurance cover?
  6. What should I do when I need medical assistance?
  7. Frequently asked questions

When I decided to go to China for the first time, finding an affordable and comprehensive health insurance was one of my first concerns, as I knew that, while in my country I was covered by the welfare system, in China I was on my own. This also applies for short-term travelers: unless you have international insurance, you won’t be covered while traveling around Asia.

Why do I need an health insurance when I travel to China?

Health insurance isn’t compulsory when you travel, so you can still go to Asia without any insurance and hope to never get sick, have an accident, lose your luggage or having your flight canceled by a storm.

However I won’t do it myself. It’s too risky. Especially when you consider that a good travel insurance only costs you a couple of USD per day.

Chinese hospitals are business oriented and they won’t help you unless you can pay cash in advance or they can verify that you’re covered by an adequate medical insurance.

I repeat, if you can’t pay nobody will help you. Also, the international hospitals in China (where doctors and nurses can speak English) are often more expensive than hospitals in the U.S.

I’ve heard plenty of horror stories of western tourists or expats that were left to die or lose a foot in an Asian hospital because, after being a victim of an accident or bad food poisoning, they didn’t have insurance or enough cash to pay for the emergency treatments they needed. Can you afford to pay 5,000 or 10,000 USD cash? [Read more…]

Business Visa for China – The Complete Guide

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Business Visa for ChinaThe old commercial visa (F visa), now called M visa

Need help to get your Chinese visa?
Click here to find out more!

Business Visa for China – Index

  1. What is required to obtain an M visa?
  2. Where can I apply for an M visa?
  3. How long is the M visa good for, and how many entries can I get?
  4. Can I renew my M visa in China?
  5. How much does an M visa cost?
  6. How can I read an M visa?
  7. How can one get an M visa on arrival at the Shanghai Airport?
  8. How can one get a 5 day visa on arrival at the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen?
  9. Can I work in China with an M visa?

The business visa (or M visa) is issued to those coming to China for commercial activity.

If you’re interested in finding out more about tourist, student or work visas, click here to read our guide to Chinese visas. If instead you’re interested in a visa to visit relatives (your husband, son, etc) then click here. If you’re interested in obtaining a visa for Taiwan, click here. [Read more…]

Alibaba VS Aliexpress: How to Import From China – The Complete Guide

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How to import from China through Alibaba

Want to import from China? Learn how to source and vet the best Chinese suppliers and use the code SDC to get a 10% discount!

Alibaba VS Aliexpress: How to import from China – Index

  1. Alibaba.com key facts
  2. Aliexpress key facts
  3. Alibaba and Aliexpress comparison
  4. Summary

Do you dream of setting up your own online shop or import business? In both cases, the best way is to begin your research on the internet.

But how to get started?

I asked my friend and business partner Fredrik, who’s been helping Western companies import from China since 2009, to write this article for my website. Here is what he has to say!

Alibaba.com and Aliexpress.com are well known among importing businesses worldwide. Both websites are owned by the Alibaba Group, based in Hangzhou, China. The difference between the two websites can be hard to spot at a first glance, but they have two very different business models with different strengths and weaknesses. This article will help you choose which one to use.
[Read more…]

Travel to China: Tips and Resources

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travel to china

Travel to China Guide – Index

  1. How to get a Chinese Visa
  2. Tour or independent travel?
  3. Travel Insurance for China
  4. Hotels and hostels in China
  5. Vaccines and medicine
  6. Flying to China
  7. Internet and phone cards
  8. Money, ATMs and credit cards
  9. China by train
  10. Domestic flights
  11. What to bring?
  12. When to travel to China?
  13. Common sense and cultural issues
  14. Food and drinks
  15. Nightlife in China
  16. Scams in China
  17. Shopping and bargaining
  18. Numbers in China
  19. How to communicate in China
  20. Frequently asked questions

Before you begin

This guide contains pretty much all the info that you’ll need to prepare your trip to China: Visa requirements, travel insurance, vaccinations, guidebooks, planes and trains, hotels, internet and phone cards.

Also, you’ll find tips on where to eat, what to bring to China, when to travel to China, how to avoid the most common scams and how to bargain.

Finally, note that in this article we don’t go into detail about any tourist destination or itinerary. If you’d like to learn more about a particular destination, The Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, for example, click here to access our collection of tourist guides. If you want to learn more about a particular touristic itinerary, click here.

P.s. If you find this article useful, subscribe to our newsletter using the form at the end of the article to download our free PDF e-Book “Travel to China” (70 pages)

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How to Get a Chinese Visa in Hong Kong

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chinese visa in hong kong

Need help to get your Chinese visa?
Click here to find out more!

How to get a Chinese Visa in Hong Kong – Index

  1. Do I need a Visa to visit Hong Kong?
  2. Where can I get a Chinese Visa in Hong Kong and how much does it cost?
  3. How to travel from China to Hong Kong (the cheapest way)?
  4. Frequently asked questions

Before you begin

If you can’t apply for a visa in your country of residence because you already live in Asia or you’re traveling, Hong Kong is still the best place to get one.

In the first part of this article we’ll explain where you can apply for a visa in Hong Kong (you can use an agency or go directly to the CVASC), and which documents are necessary for getting a visa.

In the second part of this article we’ll explain how to travel from China to Hong Kong in the quickest and cheapest way in order to get a visa.

Note that all the information that you’ll find in this article is the result of our own personal experience, since we’ve applied for many visas in Hong Kong, starting way back in 2012.

For more general information on Chinese Visa, I suggest you read Chinese Visa application: A complete guide.

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How to Get a Visa for China – Chinese Visa Application Guide

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Chinese Visa

If you’re traveling with at least another person, you can apply for the Visa online, saving time and money. Click here to learn more!

How to Get a Chinese Visa – Index

  1. How long does it take to get a Chinese Visa?
  2. Do I need a Chinese Visa?
  3. How much does a Chinese Visa cost?
  4. Where can I get a Chinese Visa?
  5. What are the basic requirements for getting a Chinese Visa?
  6. What are the different types of Chinese Visas (and the additional requirements for getting them)?
  7. What information does the invitation letter have to contain?
  8. What Visas must be converted into a Resident Permit once I enter China and how to do so?
  9. How do I read a Chinese Visa?
  10. Can I extend/change my Visa once I enter China?
  11. What happens if I overstay my Visa?
  12. Frequently asked questions

[Read more…]

How to Find a Paid or Free Internship in China: The Complete Guide

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internship in china

In this article I will explain the main reasons to choose to do an internship in China (instead of the United States, for example) and the primary options for those thinking about doing an internship in China (mainly scholarships and agencies). Moreover I will list the principal requirements of an honest and capable agency. First, however, I would like to tell you my experience!

If you want to get in touch an agency that may help you getting an internship in China, click here to jump directly to the contact form

Working in China: My experience

When, in 2009, I turned down three permanent job offers—the first from a well-known multinational company and the other two from universities—in order to have an adventure in China by means of a scholarship that didn’t guarantee me even a scrap of a retirement contribution, the majority of my colleagues openly declared me as being insane.

I already thought I had made the right choice back in 2009, but the final confirmation came in September 2011, when I was invited to hold a seminar at the Universidad Javeriana of Bogota, Columbia. The first day of the conference the chancellor invited the organizers and speakers to dinner. It mainly consisted of internationally famous professors that had worked in universities for over thirty years, published books and started businesses with immense potential.

Being 29 years old at the time, I was a bit of a crasher, as I was invited more for being friends with the conference chairman than for professional merit. I didn’t expect any attention. Rather, to be honest I was a little “intimidated” by such a formal occasion. [Read more…]

Chinese Visa for Visitors: Shall I Apply for a Q, S or L Visa?

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visiting family china visa

Need help to get your Chinese visa?
Click here to find out more!

More than one year ago, we published the first version of our comprehensive guide for obtaining a Chinese Visa (which we update every year). Since then we received hundreds of questions and suggestions for improving it (thousands, if you consider the Spanish and Italian version of this website).

We actualized the article several times according to the feedback we received and the new laws that ruled out. However, it seems that there is still a point that isn’t clear at all.

This article will explain what type of Visa you shall apply for and what documents you need when you want to visit (or accompany) your family members or friends in China. [Read more…]

Moving out of China -The Complete Guide

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moving out of china

On this site, we have written many articles on how to move to live and work in China but, what happens when you decide to go back to your country or go to another place? Today’s article is dedicated to all of the people that have decided to move away after living for a time in China.

In this article, I will cover the following subjects (you can click on them to jump directly to the section that interests you):

[Read more…]

How to Rent a Room or an Apartment in Shanghai

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rent apartment in shanghai

This is a complete guide to rent an apartment, or just a room in a shared flat, in Shanghai. You will learn:

  • The best websites to rent an apartment in Shanghai (both in English and Chinese language).
  • The pros and cons of looking for a room or an apartment on the internet.
  • A nice trick to get a better price if you are looking for a room in a shared flat.
  • The pros and cons of using an agency, how to spot an honest agency.
  • What are the expenses beside the monthly rent (security deposit, agency fee, electricity and so on).
  • Why you must ask for a regular contract.
  • The most common scams while renting an apartment in China.
  • Which is the best zone to live in Shanghai if you want to have a social life without spending hours in a cab.

P.s. Click here if you need an hotel for your first days in Shanghai
[Read more…]

Becoming a Certified Teacher While Teaching in China

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Certified Teacher in China

This article has been written by Nicholas Dahlhoff author of All Language Resources

Like many people, I came to China to teach English with basically zero training. I had gotten an online TEFL and had done some volunteer teaching in the past. But, I really didn’t know the first thing about teaching.

It’s been 2.5 years now, and while I’ve improved significantly as a teacher, I’m still learning each day. I’ve also become quite comfortable and content with my life in Beijing and don’t see myself leaving anytime soon.

Because of this, I decided to start looking into how to better position myself and develop professionally. That’s when I discovered an online teacher certification program that I could complete while teaching in China.

Why become a certified teacher?

While I’d love to say that the reason I wanted to become a certified teacher is that I’m passionate about teaching and that its the only thing I’ll ever want to do, this isn’t completely true. [Read more…]

Moving to China to Work or Study

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moving to china to work and study

This article is a quick guide to everything you need to know to prepare before moving to China to live and how to take your first steps once you have arrived. Keep in mind that many of the subjects included here have been covered in much more detail in other articles.

In this article, I will discuss the following aspects (you can click on any of them to skip directly to the section that interests you).

Before moving: Relocation agencies, finding a job, visas, vaccines, money and cards, plane tickets, documentation, health insurance, finding lodging for the first days, what to bring, sending your things, finding a school for your children, pets.

First steps in China: Registering with the local police, residency permit, registering with your consulate, opening a bank account, driver’s license, phone cards and internet, finding a place to live.
[Read more…]

Teaching Physical Education in Shenzhen, China: Interview with Claudio Piani

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Teaching physical education in Shenzhen, China

Today we’ll interview Claudio Piani, who teaches physical education in the city of Shenzhen. You can follow Claudio’s adventures on his blog, Piani per la Cina (?).

If you’re interested in finding a job in China as a teacher (not just for physical education) I think you’ll find this interview extremely interesting!

Finding work in China as a teacher

Claudio, first of all thanks for agreeing to respond to my questions. Let’s get started right away: what gave you the idea to move to and work in China?

Hello to all the readers of “Taste of China” and thank you Furio for this motivating interview. I came up with the idea of moving to China to work about two years ago for various reasons. In 2014 I resigned from my job as a sporting operator in Milan to take an overland trip through Asia and Oceania.

The “pilgrimage” unexpectedly lasted for more than two years, in which I had the good fortune to cross China twice, first from north to south (Autumn 2014) and then from West to East (Summer 2016), causing me to fall in love with it.

It was actually during this period that I got the idea to move there to work, supported in part by the Chinese passion for basketball, the sport I taught in Italy.

How did you find a job? Did you use a specific website? An agency? Personal contacts? [Read more…]

What it’s Like Being an English Kindergarten Teacher in China

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Kindergarten teacher in China

This excellent article has been written by Casey form Talking Mandarin, Enjoy!

China is becoming an ever-popular destination for people to go teach English. And rightly so. The demand for English teachers is higher than ever, meaning there are plenty of jobs available, and the pay is generally pretty good!

If you’ve decided you want to go over to China to teach English, your next decision will have to be which age group to teach. You might have the option to teach kindergarten, primary school, high school and even university, depending on your qualifications.

After making up my mind to go teach English in China, I was adamant that I DID NOT want to teach young kids. I had it in my mind that young kids would be annoying, hard to discipline and far too energy consuming. On top of that, I had absolutely NO experience teaching/caring for young children.

After having decided I wanted to teach older children, the strangest thing happened… I became a kindergarten teacher!
[Read more…]

How to find a job as an English Teacher in China

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Teaching in ChinaTeaching kids in China

This is a complete guide to finding a job as an English teacher in China. It’s around 10,000 words, so take your time to read it. You can also click on one of the links below to jump directly to the sections that most interest you. Here you’ll find:

[Read more…]

Looking for a job in China? Try our job search engine

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Find a Job in China

In this article I’ll explain how to use the job search engine of SDC, which is specifically tuned to only returns results relevant for who is looking a job in China.

You can click here if you want to try it right away.

First of all I would like to thank the team of Berlinerds, who developed the search engine and gave us the opportunity to feature it on our website. [Read more…]

Work opportunities in Yangshuo

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Work opportunities in Yangshuo

Yangshuo is a smiling town in the north of Guangxi located about 60 kilometers from Guilin, on the banks of the Li River, near the confluence of the Yulong River.

It is set among the world-unique karst formations that have led it to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

This characteristic has favored, starting in the 80’s, the development of a large amount of economic activity tied to mass tourism; activities that are still in the course of development and make up the backbone of not only the city’s economy, but the entire province.

The almost complete lack of pollution, the presence of numerous services and pleasant climate (for more information read our guide on living in Yangshuo) makes the city an ideal place to stay for even long periods.

If you’re thinking about staying there or even just spending a bit of time in this city and don’t have an income to count on, I think that the information that I will bring out in this article will be useful to you.

Types of work

[Read more…]