Tips & Answers · Community post
How do international students in China contact their family and friends with the internet firewall?
Me and my brothers might be going to China for studying, so I have a few questions:
How do you receive money from outside while staying there? Do you have to first make a new bank account or is it unnecessary?
Do you just have to use a VPN 24/7 when you want to access the "normal" internet? Can you get in trouble for using one?
Is there anything else I should know in relation to the firewall? Like anything I should prepare for?
I would appreciate insight from students who traveled to China. Sorry if this is a stupid question.
Comments (1)
Dude, there’s really no need for you to worry. China is a free, open and inclusive country. Let me answer your questions one by one.
- Regarding receiving money from abroad: You can prepare two options. First, download the international version of Alipay. Once you get familiar with things here, you can switch to the domestic Alipay app. You only need to link your regular credit card to the international Alipay. Cash is rarely used across China, and the international Alipay works for nearly 99.99% of all payments. You can also withdraw cash from ATMs using your original bank card. Besides, you will definitely want to open a local Chinese bank account after arriving. It can be linked to domestic Chinese apps. I recommend Bank of China.
- You won’t be able to access social media platforms commonly used in the US without a VPN here. Rest assured, using a VPN won’t cause you any trouble. The VPN I use works smoothly with all applications and is pretty cheap, around 5 US dollars per month.
- You’ve already covered most of the preparations you need. As I mentioned earlier, China is free, open, inclusive and extremely safe, so you don’t need to be anxious at all. You can sort out the two concerns you mentioned before coming to China. After arrival, once you settle in, you can gradually switch over to local Chinese services.
By the way, download AMAP. It’s the most popular mapping app in China and essential for taking taxis and other travel needs.