CHINA

IBN Group has offices strategically located throughout China.

IBN Group China Head Office (Beijing)

Rm.305, Tower C, Yangguang 100     No. 2 Guanghua Road                   Chaoyang District, Beijing P.R.C.

100026 China

General Information

Country (name in full):	People's Republic of China
Capital:	Beijing
Surface Area:	9,561,000 sq km
Official Languages:	Chinese
Population:	1,313,973,713 (July 2006 est.)
Exchange Rates:	Real Time Converter
Real GDP Growth:	10.2% (official data) (2005 est.)
GDP per capita:	purchasing power parity - $6,800 (2005 est.)
Head of State:	President HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)
Head of Government:	Premier WEN Jiabao (since 16 March 2003)

 

Principal Trading Partners

Export Destinations
US 21.4%, Hong Kong 16.3%, Japan 11%, South Korea 4.6%, Germany 4.3% (2005)

Import Destinations
Japan 15.2%, South Korea 11.6%, Taiwan 11.2%, US 7.4%, Germany 4.6% (2005)

Chinese Overview

Geography & Population
China is a country which is 3,600 kms north to south and 5,000 kms east to west and has a population more than 1.3 billion people making it the most populated country in the world.

Language
The official language is Chinese however regionally there are a variety of dialects spoken. The most common languages for business are Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokien. English is not commonly spoken.

Government and Law
China has a central communist government.

Climate
China is principally a country of temperate climate. Extremes of seasonal temperatures are found throughout the country with very hot and dry summers in the south and west reducing to cold winters in the central, northern and south western districts.

Religion
Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%, Muslim 1%-2%
note: officially atheist (2002 est.)

Chinese Calendar

Business travellers to China should note that China enjoys a wide range of public holidays due to religious, national and other festive events. 

IBN clients are recommended to consult with their regional Business Centres to obtain more specific regional travel advice in relation to public holidays as they may impact upon visit schedules.

Exhibitions and Conferences

IBN clients should consult their regional Business Centre for detailed information on exhibitions and conferences including exhibiting, booking requirements etc.

For a useful link on exhibition details, please visit the Fair Guide - www.fairguide.com.

To contact us, click here.

Travel Information

The major international airports are located in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Beijing Capital Airport
The distance between Beijing Capital Airport and the centre of Beijing is around 45 kilometres. It takes 40 minutes if there is no major traffic congestion. The best method of transport is by taxi, located outside the airport. Normally, the cost should not exceed Y150 to the centre of the city. Don’t accept rides from taxi touts operating in the arrivals hall but rather proceed to the proper taxi rank outside the terminal building.

Please note that when departing from Beijing Capital Airport the immigration lines can take as long as one hour to get through therefore a two hour flight check-in is a must in order to clear immigration in time for your flight.

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (old airport) 
The distance between Hongqiao Airport and the centre of Shanghai is around 20 kilometres. It takes 30 minutes to get to the centre of the city. The best method of transport is by taxi. Normally, the cost should be around Y70.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport (new airport) 
The distance between Pudong Airport and the centre of Shanghai is around 50 kilometres. It takes one to one and a half hours depending on traffic. The easiest method of transport is by airport bus or taxi. Normally, the cost should be around Y150 for the taxi fare. Check at the information desk in the arrival hall for buses that travel frequently to leading hotels. This is a cheaper option but you may need to wait for up to 30 minutes for the next bus.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport  
The distance between Baiyun Airport and the centre of Guangzhou is around 10 kilometres. It takes less than 30 minutes to get to the centre of the city. The best method of transport is by taxi. Normally, the price should be less than Y50.

If you take a taxi in China please always ask the driver to put their meter on and ask for a receipt when you get out. Travel to airports from your hotel can usually be arranged through an Airport Shuttle Bus pick-up service. On arrival at your hotel, it is a good idea to check with reception to see if this is available.

The following information is provided to assist travellers when planning to visit China:

IDD:                                                      +86
Time:                                                    GMT +6 - +8
Voltage:                                                 110/220V
Cell Phone System:                                 Dual Band system (GSM and CDMA)
Dress:                                                    Business Suit (first meeting) Long sleeve shirt (thereafter)
Taxi Fare to city from airport (average):     Various
Departure tax:                                       Yes (both international and domestic)

Foreign Visa Requirements

Most visitors require visas prior to entry into China.   Visa applications may be made upon arrival at Beijing and Shanghai airports however no guarantee is made upon the issue for visitors arriving without a visa.   Visas may be obtained ranging from Tourist through to Long Term (multiple entry for up to one year). Specific visa approval must be obtained and stated on visas for travel to Restricted, Protected and Cantonment areas.

As visa requirements vary for visitors from country to country travellers should consult their respective Chinese embassies or consulates for specific advice.

IBN clients are able to obtain specific information including supporting Letters of Invitation for business travel from their respective Business Centres.

Health Considerations

Visitors to China requiring specific medication should carry medication with them and do not anticipate availability of selected prescription drugs. A variety of diseases are prevalent throughout China and visitors should consult their local doctors prior to travel to ensure that adequate regimes are adopted prior to travel.

Visitors should also consult their respective health insurance providers to ensure that adequate health cover is available in the event of an emergency.

Local Currency

The local currency is the Yuan.

Currency exchange facilities are readily available in most cities, however visitors should ensure that they obtain sufficient local currency prior to travel in remote regional areas as exchange facilities are not always available in particular for selected foreign currencies.

To use our Real-Time Converter, click here. 

Useful Links

For business, national and regional news as well as current affairs, government and a more in depth view of China today, the following links should prove to be useful:

Disclaimer

Whilst IBN Group Pty Ltd (IBN) has taken due care to obtain and provide the country information detailed on this site, it cannot accept any responsibility for the accuracy of the same information and data. As this country information and data has been received from various sources, accepted by IBN as being reliable, IBN itself makes no representation concerning its completeness, truth or accuracy or its suitability for any particular purposes.