Asia

China

Location

Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam.

Serious crime against foreigners is rare. However, crime does occur in both the cities and the countryside. You should be aware that the theft of passports (particularly British) in larger cities is on the increase. Major tourist sites attract thieves and pickpockets. Day-trippers to Hong Kong appear to be most targeted. If you resist a robbery attempt it could lead to serious violence; use of knives is common. Be sensitive to the political climate. Vehicle security, personal security, general travel, navigation, off road driving, building/office security, climate injuries, personal hygiene, sanitation/sterilisation, clothing & equipment, emergency first aid, helicopter safety, checkpoints, cultures/customs, communications.

Use bottled water only.

Mostly mountains, high plateaus, deserts in west; plains, deltas, and hills in east.

Extremely diverse; tropical in south to sub-arctic in north.

Frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts; land subsidence. Active seismic zone.

Health problems include colds, nose and throat infections caused by the dry atmosphere and industrial pollution. Avian influenza, bilharzia, cholera, hepatitis A, Japanese encephalitis, malaria in some areas, meningitis, polio, rabies, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), typhoid, yellow fever.
Pharmacies are well stocked and local pills are potent.
Hospital: Beijing Hospital, 1 Dahua Road, Dongdan, Beijing 100730. Tel: 10-5132266

Air pollution (greenhouse gases, sulphur dioxide particulates) from reliance on coal produces acid rain; water shortages, particularly in the north; water pollution from untreated wastes; deforestation; estimated loss of one-fifth of agricultural land since 1949 to soil erosion and economic development; desertification; trade in endangered species.

The poor quality of roads and generally low driving standards lead to many accidents.

For more in-depth general information please download our Preparation and Training document.