The answer: easier than you think. China receives tens of millions of foreign visitors a year, and the big cities and scenic areas have mature foreigner-friendly environments.
Payment: since 2019 Alipay and WeChat Pay accept international cards; airports, hotels and attractions have foreign-card service points. China is a cashless society, but cash remains perfectly legal and accepted.
Language: in first-tier cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen) and top attractions, English signage and service are widespread; second-tier cities are weaker, but translation apps solve 90% of communication.
Navigation and transport: Amap and Baidu Maps have English modes; metro stations show English pinyin; high-speed rail announcements are in English.
Getting help: tourist police (in some cities), hotel front desks and visitor centers all have English speakers. Emergencies: 110 (police), 120 (ambulance), 119 (fire) — operators can connect English services.
Mindset tip: a card saying "I don't speak Chinese, please help me" beats any app — Chinese people are overwhelmingly glad to help foreign visitors.
