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Emergencies in China: who to call and what to do

Three numbers cover almost everything: 110 police, 120 ambulance, 119 fire. If you lose your passport, call 110 to report it, then contact your embassy. If you can't speak Chinese to explain an emergency, have a Chinese speaker make the call — China On-Call does this on WeChat (13368344745).

An emergency is scarier when you can't describe it. The good news: China's emergency numbers are simple and operators can often find an English speaker. The bigger gap is explaining a non-emergency problem (a stolen bag, a stuck hotel lock, a lost phone) to someone who speaks only Chinese — that's where a Chinese speaker on the line makes the difference.

How to handle it — step by step

  1. 1 · Memorize 110 / 120 / 119

    110 = police, 120 = ambulance, 119 = fire. These work from any phone, no area code. State the number, your location, and the problem; ask for an English interpreter if needed.

  2. 2 · Lost passport? Call 110, then your embassy

    Report the loss to police first (you'll need the report for replacement). Then contact your country's embassy or consulate in China for a temporary travel document.

  3. 3 · Non-emergency but stuck? Get a translator on the call

    Locked out, bag stolen, phone dead — these aren't 110 cases but need Chinese. A China-based person can call the hotel, landlord or police station for you and tell you what happened in English.

  4. 4 · China On-Call as your phone link

    Add 13368344745 on WeChat. In a jam, send a voice note or photo; we call the right party in Chinese and report back in English.

Questions travellers ask

What is the emergency number in China?

110 for police, 120 for ambulance, 119 for fire. They work nationwide from any phone without an area code, and operators can usually patch in an English interpreter.

I lost my passport in China — what now?

Call 110 to report the loss and get a police report, then contact your embassy or consulate for a replacement travel document. Keep a photo or copy of your passport separately to speed this up.

Can someone call the police or hospital for me in Chinese?

Yes. A China-based helper can make the call, explain the situation in Chinese, and tell you what was said in English. China On-Call provides this on WeChat 13368344745.

Where do I find my embassy's phone number?

Each embassy publishes its China emergency line on its official website. Search '[your country] embassy China emergency contact' before you travel and save it. China On-Call can also look it up and call for you.

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Need a call made in China right now?

Add China On-Call on WeChat — a real person in China who makes the call you can't, then tells you what happened in English.

Go to China On-Call
WeChat: 13368344745
That's where we talk. Send what's stuck and I'll take a look.