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Rights & Duties in China

Visitors on the Great Wall, Beijing

The General Principles of the Constitution of PRC: the People's Republic of China protects the lawful rights and interests of foreigners within Chinese territory, and while on the country's territory foreigners must abide by the law of the People's Republic of China.

Will my legitimate rights be protected in China?

Answer: Yes. Within Chinese territory, the legitimate rights and interests of the foreign visitors are protected.

Can I enjoy freedom in China?

Answer: Yes. The freedom of foreign visitors is as inviolable as that of the Chinese nationals. Within the period of their visas, foreign visitors can freely visit the areas open to foreigners. They should, however, respect the traditions and customs of local areas. Those who want to visit areas that are not open to foreigners should apply for a Foreigners Travel Permit from the local public security organ. Only after the approval is granted, can they enter the area legally.

Do I need to abide the law of China like the Chinese citizens, or are there special regulations for foreigners?

Visitors on Mt.Everest, Tibet

Answer: Similar to nationals, all foreign visitors must abide by the law of the People's Republic of China. Any activities that disrupt public order, threaten public security, or infringe upon the interests of the state; the society or the collective would be punished according to the laws of the country.

If I met something unfair in China, how can I protect my rights?

Answer: If your legal rights and interests are infringed or something unpleasant happens to you, you may complain to related organs.
Complain to the National Tourism Administrative Bureau directly or to the Institutions of Supervision over Quality in each province, when:
•Your travel agents, hotels or other travel operators offer you poor service or do not follow the agreement
•The guides or other travel staffs extort money from you
•You are injured or your baggage is damaged/ lost due to the fault of the travel operators
Also, all large tourist cities have hot lines for visitors to voice their complaints. Most of the complainants were satisfied with the verdicts, which were determined after thorough investigations and verification of facts.