Travelling to China.. for work

I have been to China on business many, many times (70+) over the years, last time I went was just prior to lock down (we moved our manufacturing to the Philippines after that due to the trump tax).
As others have said, to get the visa you have to get a stamped letter of invitation from the company you are visiting. You will also now have to visit the embassy in person I believe to get your visa. You may be restricted on the number of entries, but just apply for the most they will give you, I used to get 2 year multi entry visas each time.
Lots of internet based stuff doesn't work, BBC etc , VPNs used to be the answer but mostly these don't work either (I hosted my own VPN mostly). Wechat is good for seemless comms between you and the guys there and comms back home and can be used for payments, I used my Revolut card mostly when there, well worth getting a card like this you can pre load and reduce the FX and foriegn currency payment fees.
Google maps used to work (ish) you can use it to view a map, but your location will somehow be scrambled / offset, it always used to amuse me in a cab knowing the road I was on but google showing me somewhere two streets away.
Mostly China is very safe, but best to check with the locals in any area you are before wandering the streets late at night on your own, as an example Shanghai is exeptionally safe, ShenZhen certainly used to be the oppposite.
Lastly a few words/ phrases in Mandarin (typed phonetically) that I still remember to get you by,

Bu ming by (i don't understand)
ming by (I undertsand)
Wey / nehow (hello)
sher sher ( thank you)
Pee ju (beer !)
its a zo (straight on)
yog why (turn right)
Zorg why (turn left)
Meyo ( they kind use this for no, but it translates to haventI think)
Duay (yes / correct )

I used to know loads more but my brains dumped it these days. Have fun, the Chinese people are lovely, the place is fasinating, I miss going.
 
Delta3D said:
Yeah, seem to get mixed reviews about PrivateInternetAccess working or not working over there. Will make sure I download a couple extra VPN's before I go as backup.
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I am typing this in China - you need either letsvpn or Astrill.
Lets is a lot cheaper and works just as well, I got 40down 20up the other day.
 
thebandit said:
I have been to China on business many, many times (70+) over the years, last time I went was just prior to lock down (we moved our manufacturing to the Philippines after that due to the trump tax).
As others have said, to get the visa you have to get a stamped letter of invitation from the company you are visiting. You will also now have to visit the embassy in person I believe to get your visa. You may be restricted on the number of entries, but just apply for the most they will give you, I used to get 2 year multi entry visas each time.
Lots of internet based stuff doesn't work, BBC etc , VPNs used to be the answer but mostly these don't work either (I hosted my own VPN mostly). Wechat is good for seemless comms between you and the guys there and comms back home and can be used for payments, I used my Revolut card mostly when there, well worth getting a card like this you can pre load and reduce the FX and foriegn currency payment fees.
Google maps used to work (ish) you can use it to view a map, but your location will somehow be scrambled / offset, it always used to amuse me in a cab knowing the road I was on but google showing me somewhere two streets away.
Mostly China is very safe, but best to check with the locals in any area you are before wandering the streets late at night on your own, as an example Shanghai is exeptionally safe, ShenZhen certainly used to be the oppposite.
Lastly a few words/ phrases in Mandarin (typed phonetically) that I still remember to get you by,

Bu ming by (i don't understand)
ming by (I undertsand)
Wey / nehow (hello)
sher sher ( thank you)
Pee ju (beer !)
its a zo (straight on)
yog why (turn right)
Zorg why (turn left)
Meyo ( they kind use this for no, but it translates to haventI think)
Duay (yes / correct )

I used to know loads more but my brains dumped it these days. Have fun, the Chinese people are lovely, the place is fasinating, I miss going.
Click to expand...
On British passports everyone gets a 2 year multi entry as a minimum on a tourist or business visa. They changed it a little before Covid.
 
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Above reminded me... 'bing shwey' (phonetically, almost silent g) is cold water. If you just ask for/translate the word water it'll likely be warm or hot.

'Tootswoar' is toilet. 'Boo how' is sad which just made us laugh as it also sounds sad and we still use it to this day to express being sad/disappointed :cry:.

To top all that off, it's ******* difficult to speak. Slightly wrong in any sort of way and they won't have a clue what you're talking about, even with context.
 
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thebandit said:
I have been to China on business many, many times (70+) over the years, last time I went was just prior to lock down (we moved our manufacturing to the Philippines after that due to the trump tax).
As others have said, to get the visa you have to get a stamped letter of invitation from the company you are visiting. You will also now have to visit the embassy in person I believe to get your visa. You may be restricted on the number of entries, but just apply for the most they will give you, I used to get 2 year multi entry visas each time.
Lots of internet based stuff doesn't work, BBC etc , VPNs used to be the answer but mostly these don't work either (I hosted my own VPN mostly). Wechat is good for seemless comms between you and the guys there and comms back home and can be used for payments, I used my Revolut card mostly when there, well worth getting a card like this you can pre load and reduce the FX and foriegn currency payment fees.
Google maps used to work (ish) you can use it to view a map, but your location will somehow be scrambled / offset, it always used to amuse me in a cab knowing the road I was on but google showing me somewhere two streets away.
Mostly China is very safe, but best to check with the locals in any area you are before wandering the streets late at night on your own, as an example Shanghai is exeptionally safe, ShenZhen certainly used to be the oppposite.
Lastly a few words/ phrases in Mandarin (typed phonetically) that I still remember to get you by,

Bu ming by (i don't understand)
ming by (I undertsand)
Wey / nehow (hello)
sher sher ( thank you)
Pee ju (beer !)
its a zo (straight on)
yog why (turn right)
Zorg why (turn left)
Meyo ( they kind use this for no, but it translates to haventI think)
Duay (yes / correct )

I used to know loads more but my brains dumped it these days. Have fun, the Chinese people are lovely, the place is fasinating, I miss going.
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Awesome post! And absolutely agree with this and your other post, never felt as safe as when I was in China.

I thought it was "wo tim bu tong" as I don't understand though but still :)

I'd go back in an instant such a lovely vibe everywhere we did Shanghai, Xian and Beijing. The bullet train takes no time to get about if you want to travel on days off.
 
I think mine got kicked off due to an unauthorized app on my mobile apparently, no idea what that could be, also happened to my Mrs when we got back from there.

Anyone know if you can only use WeChat in China?
 
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Hostage diplomacy is a thing in China, no? It's never about what you do or don't (it's irrelevant, they can say you did anything), you're just a convenience of time and nationality, so being arbitrarily arrested, detained for potentially years never appealed to me.

I know it's statistically unlikely but if something political kicked off between the UK and China and I was visiting I'd want to leave asap. Eg Canada and Huawei.
 
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Know nothing about China, but I do know that Sygic have offline maps for China - not sure how accurate though! Maybe someone can check them out for you?
Can get a year's subscription for around £12
 
goldy6660 said:
I think mine got kicked off due to an unauthorized app on my mobile apparently, no idea what that could be, also happened to my Mrs when we got back from there.

Anyone know if you can only use WeChat in China?
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No, I used WeChat to talk to Chinese contacts after leaving China. I also have a customer in Denmark that use WeChat to market their Chinese customers.
 
Pretty much firmed up dates I'm travelling today, Hong Kong crossed off the list, travelling into Shanghai then off into the sticks for a week, then get to spend some time in Shanghai before heading home. Getting sent business class. Ace!
 
Anyone got experience using AliPay?

Tried linking corporate credit card to this, but doesn't like it at all... Mixed results on the googles. People saying it works, doesn't work, or need to use TourCard which has tons of fees and requires China mobile number?

Confusing...
 
You definitely need a form of phone payment sorted, cash is useless.

I went for 2weeks back in 2019 with work to Beijing, Hangzhou & Shanghai. Amazing experience, managed to do lots of sight-seeing along with work but I was looked after the entire time by someone from our office out there so didn't have to think much :D
 
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