Emergency help in China: numbers, your embassy, key phrases
The first thing to save in a new country is not a restaurant — it is who to call when something goes wrong. Print this page or save an offline screenshot, and store your embassy's 24-hour consular number in your phone.
1. Four emergency numbers (nationwide, free)
- 110 — Police: personal safety, theft, fraud, missing persons.
- 120 — Medical emergency / ambulance.
- 119 — Fire and rescue.
- 122 — Road traffic accidents.
When connected, state clearly: where you are (city, district, street, building number or a nearby landmark), what happened, how many people need help, your name and a reachable phone number. Do not hang up first. If Chinese is difficult, say "Please speak English" or show the phrase table below.
2. Useful official hotlines (non-emergency)
- 12367 — National Immigration Administration service hotline, 24/7 multilingual human service for visa, residence and accommodation-registration questions. From abroad, dial with +86.
- 12345 — Local government service hotline, 24/7, for non-emergency enquiries, complaints and local administrative issues.
- 12315 — Market-regulation complaints: consumer disputes, misleading advertising, pricing.
3. Lost passport, detention or a serious incident: contact your embassy
For a lost passport, a serious accident, being separated from family, or detention, foreign nationals should contact the 24-hour consular line of their own embassy or consulate in China. Look it up on your foreign ministry or embassy website before you travel and keep it offline.
Note: +86-10-12308 / +86-10-65612308 is the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs consular hotline for Chinese citizens abroad. It is not the helpline for foreign nationals inside China. Call 110/120 and contact your own embassy.
4. Emergency Chinese phrases with pinyin
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我需要帮助 | Wǒ xūyào bāngzhù | I need help |
| 请叫警察 | Qǐng jiào jǐngchá | Please call the police |
| 请叫救护车 | Qǐng jiào jiùhùchē | Please call an ambulance |
| 我受伤了 / 这里疼 | Wǒ shòushāng le / Zhèlǐ téng | I am injured / It hurts here |
| 我对……过敏 | Wǒ duì … guòmǐn | I am allergic to … |
| 我的护照丢了 | Wǒ de hùzhào diū le | I have lost my passport |
| 请说英语 | Qǐng shuō Yīngyǔ | Please speak English |
| 我在……，请帮忙 | Wǒ zài …, qǐng bāngmáng | I am at …, please help |
| 请带我去医院 | Qǐng dài wǒ qù yīyuàn | Please take me to a hospital |
5. A five-minute preparation
- Store 110 / 120 / 119 / 122, 12367 and your embassy number in your phone, plus a paper card in your wallet.
- Keep your home address written in Chinese (compound, building, room) ready to show when calling for help or a taxi.
- Record your passport number, visa or residence permit details, and your insurer's 24-hour assistance number.
- Tell a trusted contact where you are staying.
This page only organizes official public information. It is not a promise or an agency service; always refer to the latest official publications.
《国务院办公厅关于进一步优化地方政务服务便民热线的指导意见》（国办发〔2020〕53号）节选：加快推进除110、119、120、122等紧急热线外的政务服务便民热线归并……各地区归并后的热线统一为"12345政务服务便民热线"，语音呼叫号码为"12345"，提供"7×24小时"全天候人工服务。
All guides on this platform are based solely on official public information from the relevant Chinese authorities. We only organize and plainly restate it; we do not interpret, promise, or offer any agency service. Visa, residence and permanent-residence policies follow the latest official publications. Content about immigration / PR quotes official texts verbatim without exaggeration. We do not provide any unlawful or shortcut options. Report discrepancies via the footer "Contact / Report".
This guide was manually verified on 2026-11-10 (0 days ago). Based on official publications; always refer to the latest official source.
Official source: https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2021/content_5581062.htm