Essential Contacts & Emergency Numbers
The emergency and service numbers that matter in Mainland China and Hong Kong — what each is for, when it operates and whether English is available. Save the ones you need before you travel.
Mainland China
Emergency
Government & consumer services
Government service hotline
12345The catch-all city hotline: complaints, utilities, noise, administrative questions — major cities offer English.
Immigration hotline (NIA)
12367Visas, residence permits, entry-exit questions — English service available.
Consular help for foreigners
—Contact your own embassy or consulate in China. (China's 12308 line serves Chinese citizens abroad, not foreigners.)
Travel & transport
Guangzhou Metro
96891Guangzhou Metro service and lost property; other cities have their own metro hotlines.
Post, utilities & everyday services
Water & gas faults
via 12345Numbers are city-specific — dial 12345 to be routed to your local utility.
Lost & found
110 / 12345Report via police (110), the city hotline (12345) or the transport operator where the item was lost.
Hong Kong
Emergency
Emergency (police / fire / ambulance)
999One number for all life-threatening emergencies in Hong Kong; English spoken.
Government & consumer services
1823 Government hotline
1823The all-purpose HK government line: complaints, enquiries and referrals, around the clock.
Travel & transport
Post, utilities & everyday services
These are national services, current at the time of writing. City-level utilities, taxi complaints and lost-property services vary by city — the 12345 hotline (Mainland) and 1823 (Hong Kong) can route almost anything. In a life-threatening emergency call 110 / 119 / 120 in the Mainland or 999 in Hong Kong. Foreign nationals needing consular help should contact their own embassy or consulate.