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Travel information and tips on China including passport information, accommodations, transportation to and in China, attractions and things to see and do, restaurant suggestions, tours, and much more.
General
Information on China
The China National tourist Office can provide you with travel and
destination information for your visit to China. You can also call them at
212-760-8218.
Passports and Visas
Currency Information and Money
Matters
Electricity
Language
Travel Insurance
Travel Warning
The following information is provided by the CIA
Fact Book (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html)
For centuries China stood as a leading civilization,
outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and
early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines,
military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists
under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring
China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the
lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and
other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output
had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved
dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political
controls remain tight.
China's economy during the last quarter century has changed from a centrally planned system that was largely closed to international trade to a more market-oriented economy that has a rapidly growing private sector and is a major player in the global economy. Reforms started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the foundation of a diversified banking system, the development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment. China has generally implemented reforms in a gradualist or piecemeal fashion, including the sale of minority shares in four of China's largest state banks to foreign investors and refinements in foreign exchange and bond markets in 2005. After keeping its currency tightly linked to the US dollar for years, China in July 2005 revalued its currency by 2.1% against the US dollar and moved to an exchange rate system that references a basket of currencies. Cumulative appreciation of the renminbi against the US dollar since the end of the dollar peg reached 15% in January 2008. The restructuring of the economy and resulting efficiency gains have contributed to a more than tenfold increase in GDP since 1978. Measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis, China in 2007 stood as the second-largest economy in the world after the US, although in per capita terms the country is still lower middle-income. Annual inflows of foreign direct investment in 2007 rose to $75 billion. By the end of 2007, more than 5,000 domestic Chinese enterprises had established direct investments in 172 countries and regions around the world. The Chinese government faces several economic development challenges: (a) to sustain adequate job growth for tens of millions of workers laid off from state-owned enterprises, migrants, and new entrants to the work force; (b) to reduce corruption and other economic crimes; and (c) to contain environmental damage and social strife related to the economy's rapid transformation. Economic development has been more rapid in coastal provinces than in the interior, and approximately 200 million rural laborers have relocated to urban areas to find work. One demographic consequence of the "one child" policy is that China is now one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world.
Deterioration in the environment - notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the north - is another long-term problem. China continues to lose arable land because of erosion and economic development. In 2007 China intensified government efforts to improve environmental conditions, tying the evaluation of local officials to environmental targets, publishing a national climate change policy, and establishing a high level leading group on climate change, headed by Premier WEN Jiabao. The Chinese government seeks to add energy production capacity from sources other than coal and oil as its double-digit economic growth increases demand. Chinese energy officials in 2007 agreed to purchase five third generation nuclear reactors from Western companies. More power generating capacity came on line in 2006 as large scale investments - including the Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze River - were completed.
You will need a passport to visit China. You may also need a visa.
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Passport Visa Express specializes in obtaining Passports for United States Citizens who wish to travel internationally within the next 30 days. We work directly with the U.S. Passport Agency assisting you in expediting your passport application in as fast as the same day! Our passport consultants have many years of direct experience working with the Passport Agency. |
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Currency Information and Money Matters
The currency in China is the Renminbi (RMB); note - also referred to by the
unit yuan (CNY). The yuan per US dollar - 7.61 (2007), 7.97 (2006), 8.1943
(2005), 8.2768 (2004), 8.277 (2003).
Currency Exchange - Get your currency needs managed in advance! Many airports, railroad stations, bus depots, and other points of entry have no currency exchange. When currency exchange is available in airports, lines can be long and rates can be "sky high". These long waits and usurious fees can be a nightmare. Order in advance from All Foreign Currency right online. It's fast, easy, and you save time and money! The can also provide you with Travelers' checks, bank drafts, and transfers. U.S. dollars are not accepted everywhere and rates can be atrocious! Current Exchange Rate: Check Today's Exchange Rate
Language
The language is standard Chinese or Mandarin
(Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese),
Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, and
several minority languages.
I have found that it helps to know at least a little bit of the language as I travel in other countries. You do not have to be able to be a fluent speaker, but knowing a few key words and phrases will really help. I have found that, although almost everywhere I go I can find someone who speaks English, knowing just a few words of the local language can really be a help. And, it lets others know I am at least interested in their language. Visit the Getting Away Language Learning Center where you can find out how to learn another language, or where to purchase books, dictionaries, electronic translators, software and more.
Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.
Travel
Etiquette
Behavior and customs vary greatly from country to country. We
discuss the correct travel etiquette so that you won't be caught out.
TravelEtiquette was formed to offer a unique reference
point on essential etiquette advice and information for worldwide
travel. Our features and articles are written by professional
journalists and experts - who have a particular interest, or a
background in this area. So – know before you go. Visit
TravelEtiquette so you will know how to, as the old adage states, “When in Rome,
do as the Romans do.”
Electricity
Be sure to take your adaptor and converter kit. Find the converter you will need in the
Getting Away
Travel Store. Additionally, you will find just about anything and
everything you will need when you travel. Across the state, country, or
to a destination on the other side of the world, you'll find what you
need in the Getting
Away Travel Store!
Travel
Insurance
If you need medical
care while you are away, it is best to be aware that medical providers may not
accept payment through your insurance company and that you will therefore to pay
in full for your treatment and file a claim with your insurance company for
reimbursement. Therefore you should have access to cash, either from a credit
card or by wire transfer. If you need assistance contact the country's local
embassy or representative. For compensation, you must be treated by licensed
medical personnel and provide your insurance company with proper documentation
and receipts. It is advisable to always ensure you have a comprehensive travel
insurance policy which covers you for repatriation to your home country. Visit
the Getting Away
Health
and Safety Tips for Travelers
page for additional information about insurance.
Travel Warning
Travel Warnings are issued to
describe long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or
unstable. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to
assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or
consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff. The countries listed below
meet those criteria. Additionally, the State Department issues
Country Specific Information for every
country of the world with information on such matters as the health conditions,
crime, unusual currency or entry requirements, any areas of instability, and the
location of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in the subject country. Check with the U.S. State Department for
Travel Warnings, Consular Information Sheets & Public
Announcements.
Books, Maps and Other Resources
My favorite guidebooks when I am traveling is
Fodor's. I find them to be quite complete, easy to use, and almost always on the
money with helps and tips for traveling in the country I am visiting. Click on
Travel Books 
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I always research the destinations to which I intend to travel with books and maps. I normally use Fodor's as I find their guidebooks very informative and easy to read and understand. Click on the Amazon logo to search for travel books and maps. If you don't find what you are looking for, click on the Getting Away Travel Bookshelf to find some of my favorites! Still can't find what you need? Contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com |
Click here for language
helps, dictionaries,
electronic translators,
language software and other helps for learning
a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the
country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip
more. Jim.
Getting
To China
The
Global Volunteer Network currently has volunteer opportunities available
through their partner organizations in China, Ecuador, Ghana, Nepal, Romania and
Uganda. Volunteer work is a great way to contribute to the global community and
also fosters personal growth. Click on
GVN Programs to see what is
offered in each of the counties they serve. They also
offer a professional course in TEFL through their partner Global English who
offers discounts for all of their volunteers.
For more information on this program,
click here.
Additional details are available at
www.volunteer.org.nz.
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For Flights, Hotels, Cars, Cruises, Vacations, Tours and Travel Deals, Click on Global Travel International. If the link does not work properly, type www.gettingaway.globaltravel.com in the address line of your browser.
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If you have information you believe I should add to this page, please contact me. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Tours to
China
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have information you
believe I should add to this page, please contact me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Some
Things To See And Do In China
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| The Cheapskate's Guide to Vacations : How to Save Thousands of Dollars No matter Where You're Going - Enjoy eight in-depth chapters on "Cheapskate" travel to: The Promised Land - Israel including the wonders of Petra; The Ultimate Adventure - African Safaris (Kenya & Tanzania); Moorea; Tahiti - Vacation Extraordinaire; Paris and London; Maui - Paradise in Hawaii; America's New Pastime - Cruising: Alaska, Mexico, Caribbean; and China On a Shoestring - 6 cities from Shanghai to Beijing! Also, money saving advice including Free Travel Cash, Free Travel, and Super Discounts. Finally, selected words of wisdom on matters of safety, comfort and convenience so that we may not only save but also savor our memories of the wonders we behold! |
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Some
Suggestions For Dining In China
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have information you
believe I should add to this page, please contact me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Some Favorites
In China
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have information you
believe I should add to this page, please contact me.
mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Some
Interesting Links For China
Shanghai Hotels - Make your reservations in a great hotel in Shanghi today and, even better, get great discounts by reserving through Getting Away! Click here for hotels in selected other European and Asian cities.
Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.
The Global Volunteer Network currently has volunteer opportunities available through their partner organizations in China, Ecuador, Ghana, Nepal, Romania and Uganda. Volunteer work is a great way to contribute to the global community and also fosters personal growth. Click on GVN Programs to see what is offered in each of the counties they serve. They also offer a professional course in TEFL through their partner Global English who offers discounts for all of their volunteers. For more information on this program, click here. Additional details are available at www.volunteer.org.nz.
i-to-i is one of the world’s fastest growing adventure travel organizations. It is unique as they specialize in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) training and volunteer placements overseas. Each year, thousands of i-to-i volunteers are literally building bridges among communities and earning respect from some of the most important care agencies in existence. The examples speak for themselves. When Save the Children approached i-to-i for assistance with their on-going development programmed for Intibucá, one of the poorest regions in Honduras, they supplied volunteers who are now building homes and teaching English to the indigenous Lenca people. Along with China, they operate in several countries including: Australia, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Ghana, Honduras, India, Ireland, Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. For additional information, visit their website at www.i-to-i.com or send them an E-mail.
China Business Etiquette and Culture - An excellent guide to business culture and etiquette in China.
Executive Planet™
provides valuable tips on business etiquette, customs and protocol for doing
business worldwide. Our guides are co-authored by experts in international
business etiquette, who are available to answer your questions on the discussion
board.
This guide to China business etiquette and culture covers many aspects of doing business in China. It is our goal to provide practical, accurate, and up-to-date tips on China business culture and etiquette, written by experts in business consulting in China. We encourage visitors to leave questions or comments on our discussion boards, moderated by experts in intercultural training and business. Your contributions help us make Executive Planet™ the most comprehensive resource on Peter P.W. Chen business etiquette and culture on the Internet. Click On: Executive Planet - China
This guide contains the following articles:
Let's Make a Deal - negotiating tactics, the value of connections, recommended
business card style and content, business card protocol, sitting and presenting
yourself in meetings, language for brochures and promotional material, pace of
business, preferred presentation styles, final agreements, thinking styles,
adherence to company policy, and more on China business culture . . . Prosperous
Entertaining - typical mealtimes throughout the day, best venues for business
entertaining, punctuality for social events, dinner table seating etiquette,
mealtime etiquette, importance of alcohol, toasting, guidelines for hosting a
banquet/social event, what foods should be served/avoided, accepting and
declining invitations, and more on China business etiquette. . . Appointment
Alert! - typical vacation times, recommended appointment times, length of the
lunch hour, signals that indicate beginning or end of an appointment, best
arrival time (early, late, right on time), and more on China business culture. .
. Gift Giving - recommended gifts, gifts to avoid, good and bad colors for
wrapping paper, how to present a gift to individuals and groups, guidelines for
receiving gifts, and more on China business culture. . . First Name or Title? -
using titles such as 'Doctor', naming conventions to avoid, when to use first
names, and more. . . Public Behavior - how to greet strangers and introduce
yourself, the rules for men shaking hands with women, acceptable demeanor, rules
for eye contact, gestures/sayings to avoid, and more on China business culture.
. . Business Dress - is dress modest, conservative, etc., specific dress
requirements for men and women, what visitors should wear to social functions,
and more on China business culture. . Conversation - welcome and unwelcome
topics of conversation, the role of compliments, the tone of voice to be used,
whether your hosts are physical or more reserved, and more on China business
etiquette. For additional information, click on
http://www.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=China.
If you have information you believe should be added to this page of Getting Away, please contact Jim at Getting Away. mailto:jimbruner@gettingaway.com
