Chinese police (公安) deal with everything from theft to lost passports. Here's how to interact with them.
Reporting a crime
- Call 110 or go to the nearest police station (派出所, look for the blue sign)
- For thefts, you'll get a case report number — essential for insurance claims
- English is limited outside big-city tourist districts: use a translation app, or ask your hotel to send someone with you
- Bring your passport and any evidence (photos, receipts, screenshots)
Good to know
- You must carry ID — passport or a copy plus hotel registration. Random checks are rare for tourists but happen
- Hotel registration is the law: if you stay with friends or Airbnb-style rentals, you must register at the local police station within 24 hours (72 in rural areas). Hotels do it automatically
- Traffic police (122) handle accidents; never move vehicles or leave the scene of an injury accident
- Tourist police patrol major sights in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an — they're used to helping foreigners
Consumer disputes
- Not a police matter — call 12315 (consumer hotline) or complain through the platform you used (see Complaints guide)
- For scams in progress, 110 is right: police respond quickly and scammers know it
If you're ever detained
- Stay calm and polite; ask to contact your embassy immediately — it's your right
- Embassy consular officers visit citizens and provide lawyer lists (see Embassy guide)
Reality check: Interactions with Chinese police as a tourist are almost always helpful and courteous. The registration rules are bureaucracy, not hostility.