The 16 China Phone Numbers Every Foreigner Should Save — Plus the One Trick That Tells You How Old Any Chinese Number Is

Most foreigners memorize three Chinese phone numbers before they arrive: 110 (police), 119 (fire), 120 (ambulance).

That’s the floor. But it leaves gaps — what do you dial when a courier loses your package? When a landlord refuses to return your deposit? When you’re having a medical question that isn’t an emergency? When your electricity cuts out at midnight?

This is the full list. Sixteen numbers that cover the situations Chinese residents actually use, plus a quirk about Chinese phone numbers that almost no foreigner knows.

The 4 Emergency Numbers (Non-Negotiable)

These work from any phone, even with no SIM credit, even on a foreign SIM without Chinese service.

110 — Police (报警) Crime, theft, danger, anything requiring police response. Also the number for domestic disputes and missing persons.

119 — Fire Department (火警) Fire emergencies and rescue operations. In China, fire departments also respond to some non-fire rescue situations (trapped in elevator, road accidents requiring extrication).

120 — Ambulance / Medical Emergency (急救中心) Dial this for any medical emergency. In some cities, 999 is an alternative ambulance number (operated by the Red Cross in Beijing). If you’re unsure, 120 works nationwide.

122 — Traffic Accidents (交通故障) Road accidents, vehicle breakdowns on highways, traffic emergencies. This is specifically for traffic — don’t call 110 for a fender-bender.

The 3 Carrier Customer Service Numbers

You’ll need these within the first week — to check your data balance, report a problem, or ask about your plan.

• 10086 — China Mobile (中国移动)
• 10010 — China Unicom (中国联通)
• 10000 — China Telecom (中国电信)

All are free to call from your own SIM. Staff at these numbers increasingly speak basic English, especially in major cities. If you’re not sure which carrier you’re on: check the SIM packaging, or look at the first 3 digits of your Chinese number (more on this below).

114 is the general directory assistance number — you can call it to find the number for any business, hospital, or government office in China.

The Service Hotlines Worth Knowing

12345 — Mayor’s Hotline (市长热线) China’s catch-all government service number. If you have a complaint against a business, a problem with a government department, or anything you’d write to your local council about — this is the number. Available in all major cities. Response quality varies widely but it’s often surprisingly effective.

12315 — Consumer Complaints (消费投诉) Bad product, fake goods, refused refund, restaurant food safety issue. This is the consumer protection authority line. Filing a complaint here gets attention — businesses take 12315 complaints seriously because violations can result in fines.

12333 — Labor and Social Insurance (工资投诉 · 社保) Unpaid wages, illegal deductions, social insurance disputes. If your employer is withholding your 五险一金 contributions or refusing to pay overtime, this is where to start. Also handles questions about accessing your social insurance records.

12110 — SMS Emergency Send a text to 12110 when you cannot safely make a voice call. Useful in situations where speaking would escalate danger. Include your location in the message.

12348 — Legal Aid (法律援助) Free legal consultation. For foreigners navigating contract disputes, landlord issues, employment problems — a 12348 call can clarify your options before you spend money on a lawyer.

12320 — Health and Medical Hotline (医疗卫生) Non-emergency medical questions, healthcare service information, public health inquiries. Useful when you’re unsure whether a symptom warrants going to hospital.

12305 — Courier and Postal Complaints (快递投诉) Lost package, damaged delivery, courier refusing to deliver to your door. China processes 130 billion parcels a year — this number gets used.

95598 — State Grid Power (国家电网) Power outages, electrical safety issues, problems with your electricity service. Most of China’s grid is operated by State Grid; a smaller portion in southern China uses Southern Power Grid (95568).

12319 — Property and Urban Management (物业投诉) Complaints about your apartment complex management, noise violations, building maintenance issues that your property management (物业) is ignoring.

The One Trick That Tells You How Old a Chinese Number Is

Here’s something that surprises most foreigners — and a fair number of Chinese people who’ve never thought about it.

The first three digits of any Chinese mobile number encode the carrier and, if you know the table, the approximate year the prefix was launched. A number starting with 139 has existed since 1995 — it could be 31 years old. A number starting with 198 was only introduced in 2018.

This matters practically: if someone gives you a business card with a 139 number, that person likely has had a stable Chinese phone identity for decades. A 199 number might be newer — a second SIM, or someone who recently switched carriers.

A few reference points worth memorizing:

• 139 / 138 / 130 / 131 — the original prefixes from 1995–1997. These belong to Mobile and Unicom’s earliest subscribers. If your Chinese colleague has one of these, their number is older than the iPhone.
• 188 / 186 / 189 — issued 2008–2009, the year China’s 3G network launched. Numbers from this era mark the smartphone era’s beginning.
• 198 / 199 / 196 — all launched 2018–2019 for the 5G rollout. New-era numbers.
• 192 — China Broadnet (广电), launched 2022, the newest carrier.

The complete prefix-to-year table for all three major carriers is in the interactive tool linked below — you can type any Chinese prefix and get the carrier and year instantly.

Why Any of This Matters for Foreigners

If you’re getting a Chinese SIM card — or already have one — a few practical takeaways:

Know which carrier you’re on before you call customer service. Calling the wrong carrier’s line wastes time. Check the first 3 digits of your number against the prefix table.

Save 12315 and 12345 before you need them. Consumer disputes in China respond better to official channels than to confrontation. Filing a 12315 complaint for a refused refund often resolves in hours what arguing with staff couldn’t fix in days.

110/119/120 work with no SIM credit and no Chinese SIM. In an emergency with a dead local SIM, you can still dial emergency services from a foreign SIM on any Chinese network.

The number age trick works as a social conversation. Tell a Chinese colleague “I noticed you have a 139 number — that’s a 31-year-old prefix” and you’ll get a surprised look. Most people have never thought about it.

The Full Interactive Tool

I built an interactive guide that covers all of this in one place: carrier comparison, which plan fits your situation (quiz), step-by-step registration guide for foreigners, the emergency numbers list, and the number age prefix lookup where you type any 3-digit prefix and get the result immediately.

👉 China SIM Card Guide for Foreigners — 2026

Related Reading: – China Social Media Guide — 13 Platforms Compared — once you have a number, here’s where everyone actually communicates – China 五险一金 Calculator — What Every Worker Pays — if you’re working in China, the mandatory deductions explained – China Cost of Living vs USA — 40+ Items Compared — how far a Chinese salary actually goes

Sources: Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) carrier registration records; China Consumer Protection Bureau (12315 service); National Emergency Management Authority. Prefix issuance years sourced from MIIT public records.