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Local Information

Time Zone

  •  China uses 1 official time zone, China Standard Time (CST), which is 8 hours ahead of UTC. In China, CST is commonly known as Beijing Time.


Weather

  • Chengdu enjoys a subtropical monsoon climate, featuring distinct seasons, ample sunlight, and frequent rainfall. Springs and autumns are typically shorter; winters and summers are typically longer.
  • In autumn, the average high temperature may reach around 27°C (81°F), with the average low temperature around 20°C (68°F), and humidity around 80%.


Electricity

  • The electricity in China is 220 Volts /50 HZ.


Currency/ATM

  • The official currency in China is the Renminbi (RMB or CNY) or in Chinese "Ren-min-bi". The commonly used unit for RMB is yuan (also known as "kuai"). 1 yuan is equivalent to 10 jiao (or "mao"). Paper currency comes in 1 yuan, 5 yuan, 10 yuan, 50 yuan and 100 yuan notes. The RMB has coins of 1, 2 and 5 jiao.


Preferred Method - Alipay & WeChat Pay

  • In China, you may pay your bills with Alipay or WeChat pay (mobile phone apps) at any of the stores. Alipay supports live transactions from 18 major foreign currencies. Therefore, you may pre-transfer adequate foreign currencies into the app and use them at the store.
  • To set up Alipay on your phone, please download the “Alipay” app (available in both Android and IOS stores). After completing account registration on the app, you may add overseas bank cards (supports Visa, MasterCard and JCB).
  • To set up WeChat pay, please download the “WeChat” app (available in both Android and IOS stores). On the app, click “Me” “Wallet” “Bank Card” and choose “Add a New Bank Card”.
  • For more detailed information, please visit http://english.beijing.gov.cn/livinginbeijing/finance/mobilepaymentlist/202005/t20200529_1911372.html.
  • It is recommended to download the apps and get familiar with the settings before you leave your home country.


Credit Cards – at Selected Places

  • Major credit cards such as Master Card, Visa, JCB and American Express are accepted in large hotels and department stores. Please double-check if your credit card will be accepted at the store, before making a purchase. Some credit cards may not be accepted in some small restaurants and stores. Air Travel could be purchased with credit cards. You may also get cash advances at some Bank of China sites.


Obtaining RMB in China from a Foreign Currency

  • Currency exchange is available at most banks and large hotels. The Bank of China has an ATM network that allows cash withdrawals from major credit/debit cards. Please double-check with your card provider for this information before leaving your home country.
  • If an ATM withdrawal is not sufficient (e.g., exceeding your daily withdrawal limit), cash advances are available on most credit cards (e.g., American Express/Visa/MasterCard), but additional fee may be applied.


Personal Medicines

  • We recommend that you bring sufficient quantities of any medicines you take, including those you use less frequently, as some foreign medicines may not be sold in China.