6th World Congress of the ASAMI-BR & ILLRS Societies

Time Zone

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

Weather

Conditions: September in Beijing is generally mild and pleasant, making it a good time for travel.
In autumn, the average high temperature may reach around 28°C (82°F), with the average low temperature around 18°C (64°F), and humidity around 80%.

Water & Electricity

In China the standard voltage is 220 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. The power plugs and sockets are of type A, C and I. You can use your electric appliances in China, if the standard voltage in your country is in between 220 - 240 V (as is in the UK, Europe, Australia and most of Asia and Africa). If you're bringing 110V devices, you may need a voltage converter.
Normally in China, tap water needs to be boiled first to become drinkable. Be sure to drink boiled water or bottled mineral water.

Internet Access

The congress has set laptops in Self-Registration Desk for you to visit the latest updates on the congress’ websites.
Some websites and applications on your phone that you frequently use in your country may be blocked in China.
WiFi Availability: Most hotels, restaurants, and cafes offer free WiFi, but sometimes you'll need a local phone number or WeChat account to log in.

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). You can also use many useful mini-app in Alipay like DiDi, the most popular ride-hailing service in China, similar to Uber.
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 for China.

Transportation

DiDi: DiDi is the most popular ride-hailing service in China, similar to Uber. It has an English version, making it easier for non-Chinese speakers to use. You should download the app and set up an account before your trip. You can use DiDi within Alipay by searching its name if it’s not directly visible from the main menu.
Public: Beijing has an extensive public transportation network, including subways and buses. You should buy single-journey tickets from the ticket machines or counters at metro stations. Ticket machines have an English language option.
Taxis: Taxis are widely available but can be challenging to hail during rush hour. Make sure to have your destination written in Chinese if you don't speak the language.

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.

Useful Numbers

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