Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
come under attack from the government and need to make adjustments to their software.
You need a company that is enthusiastic about helping you modify your own settings as
they modify theirs.
If you're curious about the latest news on what's blocked in China, you can visit
ht-
tp://GreatFire.org
,
although—no surprise—this site is blocked, too.
If you're just after an Internet package for your iPad or Android tablet, China Unicom and
China Telecom offer various plans. Prices include packages such as RMB50 per month, or
RMB600 for a one-year plan. Discounts can be found on their websites.
Going to the post office in Beijing isn't the most pleasant experience. There is next to no
English available, particularly over the phone, and mailing a package always seems to re-
quire standing at numerous different counters to get the job done. Staff at the branches,
however, are usually very friendly, and whether you speak English or not, in the end it all
seems to work out.
China Post has branches all over Beijing, and most branches are open 9am-5pm
Monday-Friday and on Saturday morning. The Jianguomen branch of the Beijing Interna-
tional Post and Telecommunication Office, beside the East Second Ring Road and just north
of Jianguomen subway station (Lines 1 and 2), is perhaps the easiest branch for expats to
manage their postal business at. They not only handle postal services but can also help you
pay your bills, pay for tickets, make money transfers (Western Union), and even recharge
your Taobao account. To do this simply go to the Postal Business Service counter and say
“Ch
ō
ngzhí Táob
ǎ
o”
(
充值淘宝
). It always helps to have your passport on standby when
you manage anything at the post office.
The average cost of sending letters around Beijing and China is RMB1. For international
airmail, it's RMB6 for a small letter sent via airmail to the United States, Europe, Australia,
or New Zealand, and about RMB475 for a medium package to the same areas. For an es-
timation of how much it will cost you to send a package overseas by post, log on to
ht-
tp://english.chinapost.com.cn
.
It's worth comparing prices with EMS, which may occasion-
ally be even cheaper as well as faster.
