Business travel to China can be an exciting opportunity, but preparation is key – especially when it comes to visas, connectivity, payments, and transport. To help you navigate your trip smoothly, here’s a quick, practical guide covering the must-know tech and logistics tips for business travellers.
Secure the right visa in advance
Obtaining a visa for China requires careful preparation, as the process varies depending on the purpose of travel. Business visitors typically need an M visa, which requires an invitation letter from a Chinese company or partner, along with standard documents such as a valid passport, a completed application form, and a recent photo.
Applications must be submitted through the Chinese Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC), which has locations in London, Manchester, Belfast and Edinburgh. Fees vary based on visa type, nationality, and processing speed. Travellers should apply well in advance and double-check requirements, as policies can change. For frequent business travelers, multi-entry visas with longer validity may be an option, simplifying future trips. Ensuring all documents are accurate and complete is essential to avoid delays in the approval process.
Stay connected: SIM cards and VPNs
China’s internet restrictions mean many Western platforms – Google, WhatsApp, Facebook, and even some email services – are blocked. Here’s how to stay connected:
If you want to keep using them, then you’ll need a virtual private network (VPN). VPNs are a bit of a legal grey area in China, but the major illegality tends to relate to selling VPN access rather than using one. Just be sure to get everything installed and ready to go before you get to China. In our experience, the most reliable VPN for use in China is Astrill, although NordVPN and ExpressVPN are also popular.
If you have a good international roaming package, you should also be able to access Google and others on mobile data. If you’d prefer to get a local Chinese phone number for the duration of your trip, China’s three mobile providers – China Unicom, China Mobile, and China Telecom – offer SIM-only plans that you can buy by going into one of their stores. Again, you will need to register with your passport.
Must-Have Apps for Business Travel
China’s digital ecosystem is dominated by local apps. Download these before you go:
Communication and networking
- WeChat (微信) – The all-in-one app for messaging, payments, and business networking.
- DingTalk (钉钉) – Popular for corporate communication.
Payments and transport
- Alipay (支付宝) / WeChat Pay – Cashless payments are king; set these up with a foreign card.
- Didi (滴滴) – China’s Uber alternative (link to Alipay/WeChat Pay).
Translation and navigation
- Pleco (offline Chinese-English dictionary).
- Baidu Maps (Google Maps doesn’t work well in China).
Pro Tip: Test your apps before departure – some require a Chinese phone number for registration.
Managing money and payments
Over the past few years, China has fully embraced mobile payments, becoming an almost cashless society. While this makes life very convenient for people living in China, it can create problems for people who are just visiting.
Thankfully, China has introduced several measures to make payments easier for international visitors. Foreign tourists can now connect their overseas bank cards (including Visa, Mastercard and Diners Club) to popular Chinese payment platforms such as Alipay and WeChat Pay without needing a local bank account.
Following the release of the latest guidelines, the transaction limits for foreign nationals using mobile payment services have also been increased from US$1,000 (approx. RMB 7,233 or £790) to US$5,000 (approx. RMB 36,166 or £3,945) for single transactions, with the annual transaction limit increasing from $10,000 to $50,000.
Foreign users can complete the initial activation of WeChat Pay without a Chinese SIM card and make payments up to a cumulative limit of RMB 15,000 for a certain amount of time without verification.
Read our guide on the set-up process for WeChat here.
Major banks like Bank of China and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) have also improved access, allowing foreign cards to be used at more ATMs nationwide. Some hotels, shops and tourist attractions, especially in bigger cities, do accept international credit cards, including Visa and Mastercard.
Navigating transport
Booking internal flights and train journeys should be one of the easier aspects of your travel to China. You can search and book both through travel giant Trip.com’s app or website, which have English interfaces and accept international payment methods.
You will need to enter your passport details when booking either trains or flights (which may come as a surprise for those used to flying domestic in the UK/US), and in the case of the train, your passport is actually your ticket – either scan it when passing through the security gates (in newer stations like Beijing South) or present it at the staffed security gate when boarding the train.
Regarding trains, it is worth familiarising yourself with the codes used for the different types of trains in China so you can find the best routes; G are the quickest and newest, for example. China Highlights has a detailed guide.
Taxis in China are abundant, especially in major cities. Most people use a ride-hailing app like Didi, which can be used to book everything from taxis to luxury limos. Unfortunately, the Didi app is not currently available to download from UK app stores, but it can be used as a mini-program on WeChat and Alipay if you have either of these set up.
Most major cities in China – including Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Nanjing – have subway lines linking key business districts and tourist attractions. All the subway networks are easy to navigate thanks to signage and announcements in English.
