What Should I Do in a Medical Emergency in China?

Key takeaways

• Call 120 for an ambulance. Other numbers: 110 police, 119 fire, 122 traffic accidents.
• Operators mainly speak Chinese. Give your address clearly, ideally by reading it from your phone in Chinese, and describe the problem in a few simple words.
• For serious but not life-threatening problems, a taxi or ride-hailing car to the nearest large hospital's emergency department (急诊) is often faster.
• You will usually need to pay before tests and treatment, even in an emergency. Bring your passport and a phone with mobile payment set up.
• Prepare now: save your address in Chinese, find the nearest 24-hour emergency department, and write down your allergies, conditions and medicines.

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Nobody plans for an emergency, but a few minutes of preparation can make a big difference when one happens far from home. Chinese emergency services and hospital emergency departments are capable and fast. The main obstacles for foreigners are language, knowing where to go and the pay-first system.

This guide explains what to do in the first minutes, how emergency departments work, and what you can prepare in advance.

When to call an ambulance

Call 120 immediately for signs of a life-threatening emergency, such as:

• Chest pain or pressure, especially with sweating, nausea or breathlessness
• Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, slurred speech or confusion (possible stroke)
• Severe difficulty breathing
• Loss of consciousness or a seizure
• Severe bleeding that does not stop with pressure
• Serious injury, such as from a traffic accident or fall
• A severe allergic reaction with swelling of the face or throat

If you are unsure, it is safer to call.

How to call 120

The 120 service is run by local emergency medical centres. Operators mainly speak Chinese, and English support varies by city. To make the call as effective as possible:

1. Stay calm and speak slowly.
2. Give the address first. Say the city district, street, building name and number. If you can, read it from a Chinese address saved on your phone.
3. Describe the problem simply, such as "chest pain," "not breathing," "car accident" or "unconscious."
4. Give a phone number where you can be reached, and keep the line free.
5. Ask someone nearby to help. A shopkeeper, hotel receptionist, building guard or passer-by can speak to the operator for you.

Useful phrases to show or say:

• 救命 (jiù mìng): Help!
• 我需要救护车 (wǒ xūyào jiùhùchē): I need an ambulance.
• 我的地址是… (wǒ de dìzhǐ shì…): My address is…
• 他／她昏迷了 (tā hūnmí le): He / she is unconscious.
• 胸口疼 (xiōngkǒu téng): Chest pain.

While waiting, send someone to the building entrance or street to guide the ambulance in.

Ambulance costs

Ambulance services in China usually charge a fee based on distance and the care provided. You may be asked to pay on the ambulance or at the hospital. The ambulance usually takes you to the nearest suitable hospital, which may not be the one you would choose.

When to go yourself

For urgent problems that are not life-threatening, such as a high fever, a deep cut, a suspected broken bone or severe abdominal pain where you can still move, a taxi or ride-hailing car to a large hospital's emergency department is often faster than waiting for an ambulance.

Show the driver the hospital name in Chinese and the word 急诊 (emergency).

How Chinese emergency departments work

Most large public hospitals have a 24-hour emergency department (急诊), separate from the outpatient clinics. Many cities also have specialised children's hospitals with their own emergency departments.

A typical sequence:

1. Registration. At the emergency registration desk, show your passport. You will receive a patient number or card.
2. Triage. A nurse assesses how urgent your condition is. The most serious cases are seen first, so you may wait if your problem is less urgent.
3. Assessment. A doctor examines you and orders tests.
4. Payment. In most public hospitals, you pay for tests and treatment before they are carried out, at a payment counter or kiosk. In a life-threatening situation, treatment begins first, and payment is settled afterwards.
5. Treatment or observation. You may be treated and sent home, kept in an observation area, or admitted to a ward.

If you are admitted, the hospital will usually ask for a deposit.

What to bring

• Passport (or a photo of it, if the original is not with you)
• A phone with Alipay or WeChat Pay set up, plus a backup card or some cash
• Your list of medicines, allergies and medical conditions
• Your insurance details and the insurer's 24-hour assistance number
• A phone charger

Prepare before you need it

Take ten minutes now to:

• Save your home, hotel and work addresses in Chinese on your phone, and add them to your emergency contacts.
• Find the nearest large hospital with a 24-hour emergency department, and save its name and address in Chinese.
• Write a short medical card with your blood type (if known), allergies, conditions and medicines, ideally in Chinese and English.
• Set up mobile payment and test it.
• Save your insurer's 24-hour assistance number. Many international insurers can arrange hospital guarantees or evacuation if needed.
• Share your location and contacts with a family member or colleague.

After the emergency

Once you are stable, ask for copies of all medical records, test reports and invoices before you leave. You will need them for follow-up care and insurance claims. Many hospitals print records at a specific counter, and getting copies later can be difficult.

How we can help

Once you are safe, we can coordinate with the hospital, interpret between you and the doctors, help with payment and admission paperwork, contact your insurer and arrange follow-up appointments.

In a life-threatening emergency, call 120 first. This guide is general information, not medical advice. Emergency services and procedures vary by city.