Is China Safe to Stay?

China Today

By and large, China is a rather safe and welcoming country to visit or work. Most people here are approachable, reliable and considerate. However, although China is generally safe, security risks and accidents exist here too. In fact, being alert to the possibility of danger is invariably a recipe for safety wherever you go.

Thriving Economy

China has undergone a complete transformation from a relatively backward country to the world's second largest economy since the reform and opeing up in 1978. According to IMF (International Monetary Fund), the slowdown in economic development in 2019 notwithstanding, but it is worth noting that China still has outperformed most of countries. The data from IMF indicates that the GDP growth rate in China is expected to be 9.2 percent in 2021.

An article in Actforlibraries discusses that there is a intimate connection between economic prosperity and crime rate. The economic inequlity caused by poverty is highly likely to incubate the possibility of all kind of crimes. In this sense, as a rapidly growing economy, China lifts substantial people out of poverty and thus could possibly decrese the crime rate.

Relatively Low Crime Rate

In Crime Index by Country 2020 Mid-Year which includes 133 countries, China ranked 101th with crime index of 31.18 while US ranked 50th with crime index of 47.70 and UK ranked 64 with crime index of 44.54. It seems that the China is much safer than most of the countries all over the world.

According to NationMaster, the comparison of Crime Statistics between China and US is as follows.

Crime	China	US
Burglaries  (Number of burglaries recorded by police per 100,000 population)	90.7	714.4(8 times more than China)
Drugs - Opiates Use (Annual prevalence)	0.2%	0.57%(3 times more than China)
Murder Rate(Homicide rate per year per 100,000 inhabitants)	1.2	5
Robberies(Number of robberies recorded by police per 100,000 population)	24.5	146.4(6 times more than China)

China, as a populous, robust and fanscinating country, is always hidden beneath a veil of mystery to westerners. However, with increasing number of foreigners coming to China, China's vague configuration gradually has emerged in sight.

Is Living in China safe?

Yes, many expatriates, women and teenagers included, find themselves much safer in China than in New York and London. Many foreign travellers have reached the concensus that China is one of the safest countries all over the world.

Street Safety

In China, you can go for a stroll in the street without worrying about safety even late at night. The possibility of street harassment is virtually slim to none. Nevertheless, you are still suggested to maintain a low profile, for example, to not bring remarkable cash with you and do keep your wallet and phone out of reach to others. When you are in crowded areas, keep an eye on your valuables and possibly find a place which is not densely populated.

Vigilance may be the most important precaution you should take when traveling in China. Easily accessible personal belongs like wallet, mobile phones and cameras are frequently targeted when you are in the street.

In China, women travellers is comparatively safe. Women's social status is on the rise and virtually in every industry you could notice the figure of women. Generally speaking, female travellers do not have to be anxious about their physical safety in China. If you take precautions and keep an eye on you personal belongs and valuables, you are less likely to be in danger.

Bargaining and Shopping Skills

You can feel free to bargain at markets where the merchandise do not have price tags. When you make your desicion to buy products like handicrafts or souvenir, do not be shy, better always prepare to have a bargaining with shop owner. There are a wide range of shops in China which attracts foreigners. Small shop owners often demand a sky high price initially and after haggling with the owners, they would be willing to sell them for even half the price they initially demand.

In China, you are also encouraged to master online payment skills. Using Wechat Pay or Alipay could help you pay timely and safely. If you want to learn more about payment information in China, read another blog article How to Pay for Things in China in more detail.

CCTV Camera and Facial Recognition

The ubiquitous CCTV network could reassure you about the safety when working or visiting in China, which can to a great extent prevent crime from occuring. Even though the worst-case scenario happens and you are stolen, you could turn to the local police for help and the prevalent CCTV is helpful to find out the pickpockets.

China could apply up-dated facial recognition technology throughout the country due to the vast CCTV network. The cameras with facial recognition technology are capable of uploading people's information to the surveillance database. The application of facial recognition technology is supposed to improve the efficiency of safety management in China.

Stereotypes of Chinese Culture

In a stark contrast to what the Chinese people are frequently depicted in action movies, most of the Chinese people are peace-loving in their daily lives. It is true that the martial arts play an important part in Chinese traditional cultrue. However, not all the Chinese people are kung fu masters like stars in Hollywood films. Therefore, do not let the misconception about kung fu gets in the way of your wonderful experience in China.

Another stereotype is that Chinese people are cruel and eat cats, dogs and other wildlife. Well, in remote regions of China there do exist people eating breed dogs, but the majority views dogs and other animals exactly the same way as foreigners view them, and have never eaten, or thought about eating them. Likewise, most of Chinese people do not eat wildlife. Therefore, as a foreigner living in China, you do not  need to be panic about the food culture being inhumane.

Related articles from TTJ introduce all the needs for  returning to China safely, as well as the latest relevant policies of the Chinese government. If you need to find a job opportunity in China, please visit the job Board of TTJ.