Regarding the Necessity and Procedures for Registering Emergency Contacts in China

1. Is it necessary to register an emergency contact?
While China does not mandate all foreign tourists to register an emergency contact, for safety reasons and in case of emergencies, we strongly recommend that you voluntarily register or carry emergency contact information in the following situations:
- Visa Application: Some Chinese visa application forms require you to fill out emergency contact information (such as relatives or friends). It is recommended to fill this out truthfully.
- Hotel Check-in: According to China's "Regulations on Accommodation Registration for Overseas Personnel," when checking into a hotel, you need to provide passport and visa information. Some hotels may request emergency contact details (not mandatory, but cooperation is advised).
- Embassy/Consulate Registration: Certain embassies suggest their citizens traveling in China register their itinerary and emergency contacts through a "citizen registration system" so they can assist quickly in emergencies.
- Travel Insurance: When purchasing travel insurance for China, it is usually required to provide emergency contact information to complete the policy.

2. How to register an emergency contact?
- During Visa Application: When filling out the Chinese visa application form (such as the COVA form), locate the "emergency contact" section and fill in the name, phone number, and address of a relative or friend in China or abroad.
- Hotel Check-in: If the hotel requests, you can provide the contact information of your local tour guide, travel agency representative, or a relative/friend from your home country (ensure they can receive international calls).
- Embassy/Consulate Registration: Log in to the official website of your country's embassy in China, find the "citizen registration" or "safety filing" page, and submit your itinerary and emergency contact information (for example, U.S. citizens can register through the STEP program).
- Travel Insurance Add-on: When purchasing insurance, provide emergency contact information to the insurance company and keep relevant documents.

3. Suggestions for Choosing an Emergency Contact
- Local Contact in China: Preferably choose a friend, business partner, travel agency staff member, or hotel front desk who resides in China (and communicate with them in advance).
- Contact from Your Home Country: If you don't have acquaintances in China, you can list a relative or friend from your home country, along with their international phone number (+ country code).
- Backup Option: Save the 24-hour multilingual service hotline in China (such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' 12308 hotline) and the emergency telephone number of your country's embassy or consulate in China.

4. Precautions
- Accuracy of Information: Ensure that the phone number, email, and other details of the emergency contact are accurate and inform them of your itinerary in advance.
- Carry Information: Write down the emergency contact information on a paper note or save it in your phone’s memo app, and store it separately from your passport.
- Language Communication: Try to choose an emergency contact who can speak English or your native language to avoid communication barriers.
- Emergency Situations: In case of emergencies (such as natural disasters or accidental injuries), you can call China's universal emergency numbers: 120 for medical assistance and 110 for police, or contact your embassy/consulate.

5. Privacy Protection
China has strict regulations regarding personal information protection. Emergency contact information is only used for contacting in emergencies and will not be used for other purposes. Please ensure that you only provide such information to official institutions (such as hotels or embassies) and avoid disclosing it to non-official channels.