Top 10 Tips for your travel to China

1. Have a vpn service ready

As you may heard of, most of the apps or websites, like google, facebook, twitter are not accessible for the most of the time.

What’s more, if you are using an android phone, then google play store is also not available either, which means that you can NOT download or update your apps.

In this case, you need a VPN(Virtual Private Network) to overcome the situation. How to select a best VPN service provider while you are in China? Read this post.

2. Get a discover credit card

Thinking of bring your favourite american express, visa or mastercard with you? Some of them may say give you 5% cash back while your travel with no international transaction fee and looks like this is a great deal?

Well – the reality is: majority merchants will NOT accept them, except major hotels, airports etc. In china the dominant payment network by credit card is called “UnionPay”.

Even for some local merchants that they can accept visa/master card network, they are reluctant to accept your card due to higher transaction fee compared to China Union. So they are more likely to ask you pay cash, which is not that convenient.

Fortunately, discover has a partner relationship with China UnionPay and you can use your discover card in China freely. Most of the time they will not charge your international transaction fee and the exchange rate is pretty reasonable. Discover card can be applied from this link. 

Read this post to get the details on how to use Discover Card in China.

3. Get a debit card that is working in ATMs in China cheaply

Most likely you can get your local cash(RMB, stands for RenMinBi) from ATM; but most of the time they will charge you a fair amount of transaction fees. Try to avoid that?

You can apply a few debit cards that are ATM fee free and use it in China. What to know the details? Read this post.

4. Prepare to order a local sim card

If you are using major wireless carrier in US, such as At&T, T-mobile, Verizon or Sprint, then most likely you can get the internet access.

T-mobile’s plans can also offer free data roaming service in China (but restricted to 128K per second which is around 2G speed). To apply a T-moblie’s plan, click here.

Why bother to have a local sim card?

Well – the answer is; it will save you money as well as make your trip much easier.

First of all, the wireless plan is very cheap. For example, you can easily get 2G data for less than 10 USD; and calls are as cheap as less than 2 US cents.

Second, which is more important, is that most service you are getting requires a SMS confirmation. For example, if you are in the airports in China, you can get free wifi; but they need you to input a SMS confirmation and most of the time, they can only send SMS to a local sim card.

Similar thing applies for the starbucks, shopping malls etc.

How to get a local SIM card? Read this post.

5. Install popular apps that are used in china

Get used to your favorite apps, such as Uber, Yelp, Paypay, Amazon and wondering how to get around while you are in China? There are other apps that can be alternative. Sometimes, they provide even better service when you are in China as they are highly localized. Here are a few:

1. Baidu Ditu – the “google map” in China
2. WeChat – the “facebook messenger” or “whats app” + “paypal” + … Must to have
3. DiDi – the “uber” in china
4. Meituan – the “yelp” + “open table” + … in China
5. AliPay – the “paypal”
6. Taobao and Tmall – the “amazon” + “ebay” in China
7. elema – the “uber eat” in China
8. ofo – a new thing. Try to experience this while your stay.

To get a detail list, read this post.

6. Purchase your travel insurances

In case of an emergency, your health insurance provider may not cover some items while your stay in China. Having a good travel insurance plan will eliminate those troubles.

How to choose a good travel insurance? We have this post for you to get more info.

7. Know your contact embassy info

Most likely, you don’t need them. But, as we say, just in case, those contact information are critical.

For US citizens, the contact informations are in this post.

8. Purchase products that can help to overcome jet lag

For people from US or Europe, the jet leg will be normal. Especially for people in the east coast of US, the time difference is around 12 hours, which is completely day and night shift. Having those products will help you sleep well during your jet leg periods.

Here are a few recommendations:

• Melatonin – You can find this in most of the drug stores 
• Jet Lag Pills – You can search this from amazon and there are quite a few choices.

If you are travel with a family, consider to purchase more as you may need the when you are back. For more details, read this post.

9. Book a car service in advance

We do not recommend you to rent a car in your day 1 when you arriva, especially for the first time. You may have a lot of luggages, and not familiar with the airport or the languages.

Arrange a car service instead of take a taxi will make your first experience much better.

10. Double check your paper work: passport, visa, air ticket, hotel address, and other contacts

Print all your hotel address, contact information, airline info etc in to multiple copies, with both English and Chinese version. 

In case your phone is out of battery or not working due to no internet connections in a different country; which both cases are quite normal while you are in travel. Some times your taxi driver may not understand English, so have a Chinese copy will be very useful.

For detail info on how to apply visas, choose airlines, book train tickets etc, we will have a post soon to introduce this topic.

Final words

Stay calm and explore your new adventure. China is a unique country with a lot of things that are different from what you have earlier. Enjoy your trip!

ShenZhen based Chinese-English interpreter offer translation services in Pearl River Delta Area( Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Zhuhai, Jiangmen, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Huizhou, Zhaoqing)

I have been offering advanced level business Chinese-English translation services in Pearl River Delta area for many years

The Pearl River Delta economic zone (PRD) is one of China's leading economic regions and a major manufacturing centre. It locates at the Pearl River estuary where the river enters the South China Sea. The zone is formed by 9 cities, namely Guangzhou (the provincial capital), Shenzhen, Foshan, Zhuhai, Jiangmen, Zhongshan, Dongguan, four districts and counties of Huizhou and four districts and counties of Zhaoqing.

Well many people look for interpreters when they go to china for the first time. What many do not understand is that although they may find someone with reasonable english skills, what they do not realize is that most of these translators do not fully understand business English. Phrases like “bottom line”, net, gross, margin, supply chain, not to mention key industry specific nomenclature are all foreign to them. And it is likely that they will give you the impression that they fully understand what you are trying to convey but in fact, really do not. In today’s globalized economy, one cannot down play the significance of translation services

A true bilingual Chinese-English interpreter should have good command of both English and Chinese and he should know both Chinese culture history and English speaking country culture and history. If he or she is bilingual Chinese-English interpreter for business, He or she must have educational background for business. So, It is difficult to find truly bilingual Chinese-English interpreter

I have truly bilingual Chinese-English interpreter qualification

My educational background: Bachelor in English linguistic plus bachelor in law plus MBA focus international business

Also, I haverich experience of Chinese-English translation

Unlike most interpreters in China, I fully understand western business mentality. Not only can I offer interpreter service but also China Business consultancy service. We will act as your own business interpreter, assistant, Consultant, a buying agent. NOT ONLY help you overcome the language barrier, But also stand your side and try our best to protect your interests in business processing.

Contact Tom Lee  if you need to hire a true bilingual Chinese-English interpreter in Pearl River Delta Area( Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Zhuhai, Jiangmen, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Huizhou, Zhaoqing) 

Tommy China Business Consulting Offer Third Party Quality Control Services In China

Tommy China Business Consulting  partner with Chine Inspection, which is third  party quality control company founded by french,Bruno Gerber.  

Chine Inspection is a company that performs quality control in China and Taiwan. It was created in 2008 and its activity is divided into four areas:

       Inspections China

       Audits China

     Laboratory tests China

    sourcing Product From China

Our goal is to secure your imports and help you buy with confidence.

Our expertise in quality control is carried out in various fields of activity: electronics, printing, corporate gifts, toys, textile, foundry, etc ... We have a team of 48 inspectors, 42 in China and 6 in Taiwan, they are all certified and have a minimum of 2 years experience in their field. The management of Chine Inspection is carried out by four Westerners.

Our strengths:

       A strong and multicultural team made up of people from China and the West.

        A medium size structure that allows us to respond with speed and flexibility.

        Our knowledge of the Chinese market.

Our commitment:

We are an independent company that follows a certain set of ethics, and we are committed to ensuring that all employees comply with them. Our key commitments are

        Our integrity

       To refuse any gift or gratuity

        To respect the confidentiality of our clients

        Compliance with international standards by our employees

We are an innovative leading company based in Hong Kong that performs quality control in China. We have a team mixing Western and Chinese people and we are Implemented in all China. More than 900 importers, brands, e-retailers have taken advantages of our services. We are focusing on technology and we are the first company to offer Real Time Video Inspection through our Online Platform.                                                                                   

Factory Audit

Factory audit checks the production equipment and performances of the companies. This provides an overall picture of the factory with complete information on the management system, the working conditions, the infrastructure and the quality process. 

Our auditors use ISO 9000 standards and check the following: 

1.      Profile of the factory and general information: name of the factory, of the director, contact information;

2.      Verification and certification of documents

3.      Management, employees, R & D, quality control, purchasing inspection, design inspection, product testing, storage capacity, inspections, test production

4.      Inspection of the facilities: offices, machinery, storage rooms, and production lines.

Chine Inspection puts a qualified auditor at your disposal to inspect your products according to recognized international standards (MTL-STD 105). We send you the audit report within 24 hours

Price:269 USD all inclusive per person/day

Social Audit

The social audit is your guarantee that the company is in compliance with social standards.

In accordance with international standards

Our audit report allows you to select your suppliers with a maximum of elements while meeting the SA 8000 standards of social responsibility.

Benefits of a social audit:
Work safely and in compliance with labor laws. Avoid a negative publicity campaign denouncing the working conditions of your suppliers. 

Chineinspection puts a qualified auditor at your disposal to inspect your products according to recognized international standards (MTL-STD 105). We send you the audit report within 24 hours.

Chine Inspection puts a qualified auditor at your disposal to inspect your products according to recognized international standards (MTL-STD 105). We send you the audit report within 24 hours.

Price: 269 USD all inclusive per person/day

Initial Production Check

Initial production inspection is key before starting production; it ensures that the factory has the capacity to perform your specifications correctly. We verify the techniques, production equipment, raw materials, components and management of your supplier. We make sure that all elements of your order are in line to proceed smoothly.

Benefits of the initial production inspection:

 Detecting production problems immediately.

 Correcting defects early in the production process to save time.

Chine Inspection puts a qualified inspector at your disposal to inspect your products according to recognized international standards (MTL-STD 105). We send you the inspection report within 24 hours.

Price: 269 USD all inclusive per person/day

During Production Check

Inspection during production checks the processes and production capacity of the manufacturer as well as the product quality. It allows you to modify certain defects and avoid delivery delays. Finished or packaged products are inspected when at least 20% of your production is ready.

Chine Inspection puts a qualified inspector at your disposal to inspect your products according to recognized international standards (MTL-STD 105). We send you the inspection report within 24 hours.

Price: 269 USD all inclusive per person/day

Pre-shipment inspection

Pre-shipment inspection takes place when the status of your order represents 80% to 100% of the production. It takes place at the production site before loading product into containers. In accordance with your specifications, our inspectors conduct an inspection of all the main points of your product: quality, weight, measurements, colors, packaging, and barcode. We check that your production meets your specifications.

Benefits of pre-shipment inspection:

•  Knowing the percentage of products with defects.
•  Checking to see if you need to make changes to the products.
•  Paying your supplier when you have the assurance that the products meet your specifications.

Chine Inspection puts a qualified inspector at your disposal to inspect your products according to recognized international standards (MTL-STD 105). We send you the inspection report within 24 hours.
Price: :269 USD all inclusive per person/day

Container Loading Check

Container loading inspection is the final step to ensure that all products being shipped are in compliance and properly packaged. The inspector verifies the quantity, quality and the entire loading process of your products.

He inspects the condition of the container, making sure it is clean, well sealed and waterproof.

 Benefits of container loading inspection:

       Last inspection to verify that the quantities loaded are correct.

      Checking the presence of seals on the container.

Chine Inspection puts a qualified inspector at your disposal to inspect your products according to recognized international standards (MTL-STD 105). We send you the inspection report within 24 hours.

Price:  269 USD all inclusive per person/day

Production monitoring

This is permanent monitoring of your production thanks to the presence of an inspector who visits the factory on a daily basis. Every day you will be given an inspection report on precise production progress.

 Benefits of production monitoring:

•  You know the exact status of your production at any time.
•  The inspector is in daily contact with the factory and in perfect control of your products and supply chain.
•  The inspector can quickly detect defects and have changes made.

You receive detailed inspection reports every day.

When to undertake production monitoring?

Production monitoring may begin after the initial production inspection. It can be performed throughout the manufacturing process.

Our rate:  269 USD all inclusive per person/day.

Lab testing and Certifications

 

Your products must comply with international standards and follow the regulations that are in effect. We work with different certified laboratories that conduct chemical, mechanical, metallographic, and corrosion tests, as well as failure analysis and raw material inspection. Our inspectors can collect your samples directly on your production site.

The tests: Each country has its own rules and standards. Certain products must follow several guidelines, inscriptions or labeling.

Here are the main ones:

·        Inscrition CE ·        EMC ·        Low power electrical appliances ·        REACH ·        RoHS ·        WEE	·        Inscription NF ·        UL Certification ·        Inscription FFC ·        GOST inscription ·        Australia-New Zealand C-Tick ·        Inscription CC for China (Chinese              compulsory Certification)

Price:   They depend on the tests, please contact us by email..

REACH-Chemical Compliance

SVHC and restricted substances

REACH is a regulation of the European Parliament on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals. It went into effect on June 1st 2007 and modernized the European Union’s former regulatory framework on chemical products. The objectives of REACH are to ensure a high level of protection of human health and of the environment against the hazards of chemicals, the promotion of alternative testing methods, and the free circulation of substances on the internal market.

Improving competitiveness and innovation are also part of these objectives. REACH aims to remove the most dangerous chemicals and to have manufacturers assess and manage the risks posed by chemicals.

REACH Tests

Chineinspection works with a large network of laboratories to conduct physicochemical, toxicological and eco-toxicological testing, as well as testing for environmental improvement, testing of residues, of testing services and of analysis services.
Various tests:

•  Services testing
•  Analytical services testing
•  Identification of the test substance services
•  Similarity testing
•  Determination of the physicochemical
•  NMR Analysis
•  QSAR and QSPR Services
•  Design and optimization of toxicological and eco-toxicological tests
•  SVHC Testing and Screening
•  Testing Programs
•  Related Services
•  Registration Services
•  Data sharing and compensation services
•  Classification, labeling and packaging services (CLP)

RoHS Electrical Components Testing

RoHS stands for "Restriction of use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment." The European RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC) aims to restrict the use of six hazardous substances. It applies to all electrical and electronic equipment manufactured and imported in the EU.

Substances concerned

No products containing these substances may be commercialized in the EU:

•  Hexavalent chromium
•  Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs)
•  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers

The highest concentrations of these substances are 0.1% by weight of homogeneous material, except for cadmium, where the limit is 0.01%.

Equipment concerned

Chine Inspection works with a network of laboratories that perform ROHS tests if you work with any of the product categories specified in the European WEEE directive:

•  Large household appliance
•  Small household appliances
•  IT and telecommunications equipment
•  Consumer equipment
•  Electrical and electronic tools
•  Outils électriques et électroniques
•  Added in 2010: Equipment dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields, and equipment for the production, transfer and measurement of such currents and fields designed for use with a voltage rating not exceeding 1000 volts for alternating current and 1 500 volts DC, except in special cases (large stationary industrial tools or large scale stationary installations).
•  Toys, leisure and sports equipment
•  Vending Machines
•  Equipment located on offshore drilling platforms (see revised directive)
•  Photovoltaic modules (see revised directive)

Since July 2012, the number of appliances involved has been expanded and eco-design is encouraged, meaning the selective sorting and recycling of certain components rather than their disposal

Our 48 inspectors can conduct inspections anywhere in China. Our coverage zone is indicated in green on the map; transportation is included in our rates when travel is no more than 1 ½ hours outside major cities in the zone.

 

Contact Tom Lee  for your quality control services in China now