COMMUNICATION IN CHINA

Country code: 86. Public telephones are becoming harder to locate - your best bets are in post offices and at roadside kiosks. There is a three-minute minimum charge for international calls. The cheapest way to call internationally is to buy a pre-paid calling card, available from most convenience stores and in hotels in units of ¥20, 50, 100 and 200.

China has the most mobile phone users in the world, backed by a very sophisticated mobile communications system that now covers the entire country. Roaming agreements exist with most major international mobile phone companies. Alternatively, you can buy a prepaid GSM SIM card (from China Mobile stores) that allows you to use your mobile like a local phone with a new number. You'll need your passport to register.

The number of Internet users in China reached 253 million in 2008. Internet cafes can be found in most towns and cities, and Wi-Fi is increasingly available at hotels and cafes in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Hangzhou and other major cities. Shanghai is slated to have city-wide Wi-Fi by the World Expo in 2010. Beijing routinely blocks access to sites run by the banned spiritual movement Falun Gong, rights groups and some foreign news organisations. Postings by bloggers are closely monitored.

Service to Europe takes from between two days and one week. Tourist hotels usually have their own post offices. All postal communications to China should be addressed ‘People's Republic of China'. 

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1900.

China's media is tightly controlled by the country's leadership. The industry has been opened up in the areas of distribution and advertising but not in editorial content. Access to foreign news providers is limited and re-broadcasting and the use of satellite receivers is restricted; shortwave radio broadcasts are jammed and websites are blocked. In general, the press report on corruption and inefficiency among officials, but the media avoids criticism of the Communist Party's monopoly on power. Hong Kong so far has retained its editorially free media. Each city has its own newspaper, usually published by the local government, as well as a local Communist Party daily.

Agreements are in place which allow selected channels (including stations run by AOL Time Warner, News Corp and the Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV) to transmit via cable in Guangdong province. In exchange, Chinese Central TV's English-language network is made available to satellite TV viewers in the USA and UK. Beijing says it will only allow relays of foreign broadcasts that do not threaten 'national security' or 'political stability'. All foreign-made TV programmes are subject to approval before broadcast.

• National newspapers include The People's Daily and The Worker's Daily, with many provinces having their own local dailies as well.
• News agencies include the state-run Xinhua and Zhongguo Xinwen She (aimed mainly at overseas Chinese nationals).
• The main English-language daily is the China Daily.
• Local English-language listings magazines in the bigger cities tend to be more entertaining and a good source of information about local events.

• Chinese Central TV (CCTV) is a state-run national broadcaster, with networks that include English-language CCTV-9.
• Shanghai Media Group's International Channel Shanghai (ICS) features lifestyle and business programmes in English or Japanese with Chinese subtitles.

• China National Radio is state run.
• China Radio International is a state-run external broadcaster with programmes in more than 40 languages.