Emergency & Assistance Hotlines in China
China splits emergencies by service — there is no single 911/112 number. If in doubt, call 110; operators can redirect you.
Police
Crime, theft, disputes, or anything requiring law enforcement. If you're not sure which number to call, call this one — operators can redirect you.
110
📞 Call 110 NowMedical Ambulance
For medical emergencies requiring hospital dispatch. State your location clearly — a translation app or help from a bystander matters here.
120
📞 Call 120 NowFire Department
Fire, gas leaks, or structural rescue. Use stairs, never the elevator, during a building fire.
119
📞 Call 119 NowTraffic Accident Police
For any road traffic accident, as a driver, passenger, or pedestrian. Don't move vehicles before police arrive unless they're blocking traffic.
122
📞 Call 122 NowNational Anti-Fraud Hotline
For suspicious calls, digital/QR-code scams, or phishing attempts. Not for active emergencies — call 110 first, then 96110 to follow up. Some cities only staff it during business hours.
96110
📞 Call 96110 NowConsumer Complaint Platform
Overcharging, refused refunds, fake goods, or any consumer dispute with a business (run by the State Administration for Market Regulation).
12315
📞 Call 12315 NowNational Tourism Complaint Hotline
Tourist-specific disputes: travel agencies, hotels, tour guides, and forced-shopping tour scams.
12301
📞 Call 12301 NowGovernment Public Service Line
Non-emergency government hotline. Operators route you to whichever local department can actually help — useful when you're not sure who to call.
12345
📞 Call 12345 NowNational Immigration Service
Official National Immigration Administration service for entry, exit, visa, stay, and lost-document procedure questions. This is guidance, not emergency dispatch.
12367
📞 Call 12367 NowWhat to Say When You Call
Dispatchers answer in Mandarin — English support is inconsistent outside major-city call centers. The single most useful move in a real emergency is getting a nearby local to make the call for you. If you must call yourself, lead with your location, then your situation:
Tip: Chinese speakers read the digit "1" in phone numbers as "yāo", not "yī" — so 110 is spoken "yāo-yāo-líng".
🏛 Your Embassy in Beijing
Beijing embassy switchboard numbers shown — most have after-hours emergency routing. Not your country listed, or heading to a city with its own consulate? Confirm the current number on your embassy's official website before you travel.
⚠️ Common Tourist Scams & How to Avoid Them
How it works: A friendly, English-speaking young "student" strikes up conversation on a tourist street, wanting to practice English or invite you to a "traditional" tea ceremony or art exhibition. They lead you to a hidden tea house or bar, order an expensive tasting flight, and present a forced bill for several thousand RMB (often 2,000–10,000 RMB), sometimes with someone blocking the door.
How to avoid: Politely decline unsolicited invitations from strangers who approach YOU on the street — genuine locals rarely do this. If you want a real tea ceremony, book one independently through your hotel.
If targeted: Demand an itemized receipt, don't hand over your card, and say "call the police" (报警 bàojǐng) or dial 110 visibly — operators often back down once police are mentioned. Chinese police take this scam seriously and frequently force refunds.
How it works: Someone in the arrival hall (sometimes dressed to look official) asks "Taxi? Where you go?", bypassing the official taxi queue and leading you to an unmarked private car that charges 3–5x the meter rate, or won't open the trunk until you pay extra.
How to avoid: Always follow the official "Taxi Queue" (出租车) signage, or order a car through Didi inside Alipay/WeChat before you even reach the exit. Never follow anyone who approaches you first.
If targeted: Refuse to get in. If you're already inside and being overcharged, photograph the license plate and refuse to pay in cash before calling 110.
How it works: Someone in robes approaches, presses a "blessed" charm or bracelet into your hand, then demands a "donation" — often insisting on a specific, inflated amount once you're holding it.
How to avoid: Genuine monks don't solicit donations from tourists on the street. Don't accept anything handed to you; if something is pressed into your hand, put it down and walk away without engaging.
If targeted: You're not obligated to pay for anything you didn't ask for. Say "不要" (bù yào — "don't want") firmly and keep moving; if someone becomes aggressive, head toward a shop or security guard.
How it works: A driver quotes a cheap price (e.g. ¥20–50) for a ride or "hutong tour," then afterward claims the price was per-minute or per-person, demanding several times more — sometimes stopping in a quiet spot to pressure you.
How to avoid: Agree on the TOTAL price in writing (or typed in a translation app) before getting in, or skip rickshaws entirely and explore on foot or by rental bike.
If targeted: Leave the originally agreed cash on the seat and calmly walk away rather than arguing. If blocked or threatened, call 110.
How it works: People dressed to resemble transit staff direct you to an unofficial coach advertised as a "special" or "VIP" shuttle. It charges inflated fares, adds unscheduled shopping stops at jade/silk/cloisonné shops, and may drop you at a lesser section of the site than advertised.
How to avoid: Use the official public bus (e.g. Bus 877 from Deshengmen for Badaling) or book tickets through an authorized platform. Ignore anyone who approaches you before you reach the official ticket counter.
If targeted: If already on a shopping-detour tour, you're not obligated to buy anything — decline firmly and repeatedly; report the operator via 12301 afterward.
How it works: A stranger asks you to scan a QR code for a "survey," a "free gift," or "Wi-Fi access." The code opens a phishing page or an unauthorized payment request.
How to avoid: Never scan a QR code handed to you by a stranger. Only scan codes at legitimate businesses when you're actually paying for something you chose.
If targeted: If you scanned something suspicious and entered payment info, immediately open Alipay/WeChat Pay security settings to check for unauthorized transactions, and call 96110.
How it works: When you pay with a 100 RMB note, the vendor swaps it under the counter for a fake bill and claims your note was counterfeit — you lose the real note and get handed a fake one back.
How to avoid: Pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay QR codes wherever possible; digital payment is fully immune to this scam and is now the overwhelming norm in China anyway.
If targeted: If you must pay cash, examine notes closely before handing them over and count change in front of the vendor.
Perspective: violent crime against foreign visitors is rare in China. The realistic risk is an overcharge or a confidence trick in a busy tourist area — annoying, but recoverable. Download the official "National Anti-Fraud Center" (国家反诈中心) app for real-time scam alerts.