No organisation today can afford to neglect its duty of care. To reduce health risks to individuals, and business and reputational risks to their employers, planning, preparation and up-to-date information are vital.As part of their series on global risk in popular expatriate destinations, global medical assistance provider CEGA and security specialist Solace Global discuss the risk rating in China.

China

OVERALL RISK RATING: LOWThere is a general threat from terrorism, mainly in the Xinjiang region, where Uyghur attacks have caused numerous deaths. But Uyghur separatists have also been known to attack civilians beyond Xinjiang.Foreigners need to carry passports and avoid political or religious activities, as punishments can be severe.

Crime rate

Pickpockets (often children) are rife, especially in crowds. Fraud is also common and often involve attractive young women with excellent English delivering foreigners to criminal gangs after promising them tea. Watch out too for cyber fraud.

Medical facilities

Many cities offer Western-standard medical services, but the language barrier and slow service often drive expats to take out private health insurance. Rural areas can be prohibitively far from both public and private hospitals and the latter can be very expensive.Western and south-western provinces in particular are prone to earthquakes and pollution is a big problem in major urban areas.

Vaccinations

Recommended vaccinations include hepatitis, tetanus and typhoid, and cases of bird flu have been reported in recent years.For related news and features, visit our Global Health & Wellness section.Access hundreds of global services and suppliers in our Online Directory  Get access to our free Global Mobility Toolkit