Basic education forchildren

Foreigners can enroll their children either in private schools specifically built for the nationalities of their children or regular schools and kindergartens  formulated by China’s department of education.

There are schools specifically built for the children of foreign nationals located in the province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the central government. They can offer pre-school, primary school, and secondary school education, and adopt a foreign education model.

Medical services

China's medical care system is composed of general hospitals, specialized hospitals, community health service centers and stations, outpatient departments, clinics, and emergency centers of various types, sizes, and functions.

There are non-profit public medical institutions run by the government as well as social medical institutions run by non-government institutions (including Chinese-foreign joint ventures or Chinese-foreign cooperatives). Foreign nationals can seek medical treatment at institutions of their choice at the same cost as Chinese residents.

"120" is the emergency number to call in all parts of China  before one is taken to a hospital. It provides first aid, emergency treatment in transit, and patient monitoring. Almost all hospitals provide emergency medical treatment for patients in need.

According to the Social Insurance Law of the People's Republic of China and the Interim Measures for Social Insurance System Coverage of Foreigners Working within the Territory of China, foreign workers legally employed in China shall take out the Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) and enjoy the same medical insurance treatment as other insured workers. Foreign nationals can refer to the official website of their local administrative department of medical security for the list of hospitals covered by basic medical insurance, as well as the scope of medical insurance reimbursement.

Foreign nationals (or their employers) may purchase commercial medical insurance to cover additional risks not yet covered by basic medical insurance.

Travel and entertainment

China is endowed with rich resources, as well as natural and cultural attractions. Most cities and counties are open to foreign nationals, who do not have to apply for a travel permit to visit the tourist attractions open to them. A valid passport and a Chinese visa or residence permit would suffice. Foreign nationals wishing to visit the tourist attractions that are not open to them should apply to the local municipal or county-level public security bureau for a travel permit. Without permission, foreign nationals may not enter areas closed to the public. For guidance to foreign nationals on visiting China, please visit: www.gov.cn/banshi/wjrs/lygg.htm

A number of qualified travel agencies, car rental companies, and flight and hotel booking agencies in China facilitate the travel of foreign visitors. For details, please consult any travel agency or visit travel portals.

Large and medium-sized cities in China offer sophisticated sports and recreation facilities. Golf courses can be found both in coastal cities and central cities in hinterland provinces. In the outskirts of the cities, there are large playgrounds, resorts, folk culture villages, wild animal parks, ecological parks, botanical gardens and fishing areas for holiday relaxation. Large and medium-sized cities in China have concert halls, theaters, and other venues to stage Chinese and foreign national concerts, symphony concerts, musicals, ballets, dramas, and acrobatics performances. Large cities also have museums and art centers for displays of historic relics and artifacts, and exhibitions of photographs and paintings.

Transportation

Nowadays, China has a comprehensive transportation network of airports, trains, highways, subways, and waterways. High-speed railway lines, highways , and many new subways have dramatically improved the daily lives of local people.

A high-speed train is the prime choice among all types of trains as it runs at a speed of 250-420 km/h and has a high service standard. China has by far the world's largest high-speed railway network. Its total mileage reached 42,000 kilometers by the end of 2022. The network is so extensive that nearly all big Chinese cities can be reached by high-speed train. Moreover, e-tickets and facial recognition systems have become very common for travelers.

China possesses numerous highways, connecting almost all cities, towns and rural areas. The quality, convenience and capacity of Chinese expressways have all developed rapidly.  The total mileage of China's road network stood at about 5.28 million kilometers as of the end of 2021, and highway density has reached 55.01 kilometers per 100 square kilometers.

The total mileage of subways on the Chinese mainland hit 8,012.85 kilometers as of the end of 2022, with the top three longest being Shanghai (831 kilometers), Beijing (783 kilometers) and Guangzhou (621 kilometers).

Housing

In accordance with such regulations as the Notice on Adjusting the Policies on the Market Access and Administration of Foreign Investment in the Real Estate Market and the Notice of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Further Regulating the Administration on House Purchase by Overseas Institutions and Individuals, branches and representative offices set up by foreign institutions in China (except for companies approved to engage in real estate businesses) and foreign individuals working or studying in China can purchase commercial properties for personal use based on their actual needs. Foreign individuals in cities where there are policy restrictions on housing purchase shall abide by the local policies and regulations when purchasing a house.

Each foreign individual is only allowed to buy one house for personal use in China. Overseas institutions with branches or representative offices within the territory of China can only purchase non-residential houses for their offices in cities where they are registered.

In addition, foreign nationals are not prohibited from renting out or selling houses in China.