Dial locally without a country or area code. If your phone cannot call, ask someone nearby to call. These are mainland numbers; Hong Kong and Macao have different emergency systems.
Give your location first
Say the address, building entrance, or a clear landmark; then explain what happened and give a number that can receive calls. Stay on the line and follow instructions. If language gets in the way, show a nearby helper the Chinese address and ask them to relay it. English assistance varies by location.
Need a doctor, but no ambulance?
Ask your insurer about suitable facilities, registration, and whether it pays the hospital directly or reimburses you later. Take your passport, usual medicines and doses, allergy details, and a way to pay. Ask for language help if needed; tell staff if symptoms become urgent rather than waiting for a routine appointment.
Keep medical reports and itemized receipts for your insurer. You may need to pay upfront, including for ambulance transport. Contact your insurer promptly, without delaying emergency care.
Bag missing at arrivals?
Go to the airline's baggage-service desk before leaving the airport. Show your baggage tag, passport, and flight details, then keep the report number and contact instructions. Report a damaged bag promptly too; follow your airline's claim process.
Lost your passport?
Report it to local police and ask how to obtain the loss certificate. Contact your embassy or consulate for a replacement travel document, then the local exit-entry administration about stay and departure requirements. Check before rebooking; the next steps depend on your entry status.
Lost your phone or bank cards?
Use another phone to contact your bank and payment providers to block access; ask your carrier to suspend the missing SIM. Report theft to police and keep the report. Store account-recovery information somewhere you can reach without the lost phone.
Prepare before you need help
Check that insurance covers medical care and evacuation in China. Save these numbers, your hotel's Chinese address, your insurer's assistance line, and your embassy's contacts offline, with a paper copy of the essentials.
Checked October 28, 2026.
