China
Still current at: 08 March 2010
Updated: 30 December 2009

This advice has been reviewed and reissued with amendments throughout. The overall level of the advice has not changed.

There are confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus (Swine Flu) in Mainland China, including British Nationals. The Chinese government continues to place great emphasis on screening and surveillance, rapid detection, quarantine and treatment. The World Health Organisation's (WHO) Pandemic Threat Alert remains at Phase 6 . There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on the FCO website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be found on the UK Department of Health . See the Health section of this advice for more detailed information on quarantine and other measures that have been put in place by the Chinese authorities.

Over the past year, there have been a number of violent incidents in different parts of the northwest Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, resulting in a number of deaths, including civilians.  No reports of death or injury involving foreign nationals.  In April 2009 a bomb blast in Urumqi City (the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region) killed one and injured several others and, in July, state media reported almost 200 deaths and 1600 injuries as a result of serious rioting there.  Also in Urumqi, in early September media reported a number of arrests following a resurgence of violence and protests resulting in five deaths.

There have been a number of violent incidents in different parts of the northwest Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, resulting in a number of deaths, including civilians. There have been no reports of death of or injury to foreign nationals. See the Domestic Unrest section of this Travel Advice. 

Outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in China have led to a small number of human fatalities. The most recent fatalities were in January 2009. See the Health (Avian Influenza) section of this advice and the our Avian and Pandemic Influenza page.

The tropical cyclone season in China normally runs from May to November, affecting the south eastern coastal regions of China.  See the Natural Disasters section of this Travel Advice and our Tropical Cyclones page.
There is an underlying threat from terrorism in China. This reflects both the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks and the possibility of terrorist acts by groups opposed to the Chinese Government. They could be indiscriminate including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

In 2008, 551, 523 British nationals visited China (Source:  National Tourism Administration of the People's Republic of China).  Most visits to China are trouble free. 301 British nationals required consular assistance in China in the period 1 April 2008 - 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (47 cases); hospitalisations (41 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (129 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (826 cases).

You are required to carry your passport at all times as the Police regularly carry out random checks, but you should take precautions against pick pocketing and other street crime.

We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake.  See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.

Read more Travel Advice for China.