China

Is China safe to visit?

Yes, for the cities and sights most visitors see. Police registered 5,144 homicide cases in 2024, about 0.4 per 100,000 people (National Bureau of Statistics), one of the lowest rates we track, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary calls serious crime against foreigners rare. Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an and Chengdu are heavily policed and covered with cameras, and walking around at night is normal.

The risks are of other kinds. China's roads kill far more people than its crime does. Its laws are enforced unpredictably, which is why the US State Department rates the mainland Level 2 (exercise increased caution) and warns of exit bans and detention. Typhoons, floods and earthquakes add a seasonal layer. We score China 72, below Japan and South Korea and above Vietnam.

Detention, exit bans and the law

This is what both the US and UK governments worry about most. China's national security, counter-espionage and data laws define "state secrets" broadly, and the US says foreigners can be detained for routine business, research or online posts. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says people suspected of a crime can be held for up to 37 days without charge, and those detained on national security grounds can be held for up to six months before formal arrest, without a lawyer.

Exit bans are the other tool. They are used in business and civil disputes as well as criminal cases, can last months or years, and you may only find out at the airport. The US says people of Chinese heritage, those with links to US government, military or law enforcement, and anyone tied to a company in a dispute face higher risk.

For a typical tourist, the practical rules are simple. Carry your passport at all times; police do random checks and do not accept copies. Avoid protests, do not photograph military sites, and keep political comments off your phone. Drug laws are severe; police can raid bars and test foreigners' hair and urine, and you can be prosecuted for drugs taken before you arrived.

Tibet requires a permit and an organised tour, and the FCDO describes Xinjiang as under heavy security with widespread arbitrary detentions of local people. Hong Kong is rated Level 2 separately; see our Hong Kong page. The US rates Macau Level 3 (reconsider travel) because of limited consular access; see our Macau page.

Roads and transport

WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 17.4 road deaths per 100,000 people in China in 2019, four times its official police count and a worse rate than in the US. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary points to poor roads, heavy traffic and low driving standards. Tourists cannot drive on a foreign or international licence anyway, so the main exposure is as a pedestrian and passenger. E-bikes ride silently on pavements and through red lights, and drivers turning right rarely stop for people on crossings.

High-speed rail is the safest way to cover distance; you need your passport to buy a ticket and board. Use metered taxis or a ride-hailing app such as DiDi. The FCDO reports sexual assault and robbery in unmarked taxis, and fare disputes can turn into fights that lead to detention, whoever started them.

Random attacks and petty crime

China has rare but deadly public attacks by lone individuals. In November 2024 a man drove an SUV into people exercising outside a sports centre in Zhuhai, killing 35; he was executed in January 2025. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says car-ramming and knife attacks have hit schools, supermarkets and hospitals, and a few have involved foreigners.

Petty crime is mostly scams. The best known is the tea-tasting trap near Tiananmen, the Bund and other sights. Theft is common on overnight trains, so lock the compartment. Check 100-yuan notes, and be careful scanning QR codes on stickers that may have been swapped.

Floods, typhoons and earthquakes

From May to November typhoons hit the coast from Hainan to Shanghai, cancelling flights and trains, and summer rain brings floods and landslides inland. On 26 August 2026 flash floods badly damaged Gyirong County in Tibet near the Nepal border. China is also seismically active, especially in the west.

Health risks are moderate. CDC recommends hepatitis A vaccination and warns that rabid dogs are common. Dengue and chikungunya occur in the south in summer, and winter smog can make air in northern cities unhealthy. Big-city international clinics are good but expensive, so carry insurance.

How we scored it

Road safety (50) is the weakest factor, followed by natural hazards (58). Conflict (68) reflects arbitrary detention and exit bans more than any threat of violence. Violent crime (95) is a clear strength, though the homicide figures come from the government alone, so confidence is medium.