Welcome to a safe and fascinating country
China is almost entirely cashless; if you want to, you can carry cash around, and people will accept it, but it’s not necessary. Only a limited number of places accept credit cards, so it is a good idea to download the Alipay app, and connect up your cards to it. Alipay is accepted everywhere in China. If you want to book something online in China (such as tickets to an attraction), you will need to use Alipay.
China actually does have its privacy laws ... and it is also a country of CCTV cameras and a restricted internet. You cannot access Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, YouTube and a variety of other apps, unless you install and pay for a VPN service before you arrive. With a VPN in place, you can access the internet as normal most of the time.
China has different values around politics than the west. In private, people often debate and argue about social issues; in public people frequently protest and complain about many things, including government officials (e.g. such as police, doctors, landlords). At the same time, most citizens are very positive about their government, and so it is not polite for foreigners to make comments about the Chinese government or its officials.
If you are interested in a different understanding of the Chinese political system, this TED talk provides some alternative perspectives, and this video offers an understanding of what freedom means in China.
Cities in China, including Shanghai, are very safe. People often experience leaving their phone somewhere like a bus station or taxi, and it being returned. The streets are also safe places - there is no public violence, no homelessness, and there is generally a high level of public safety.
Some people are concerned regarding reports of westerners being taken by Chinese authorities and locked up. This has occurred in a handful of cases (12) in the last 10 years; these have been predominantly journalists, a few businessmen, and some drug related cases.
Conference attendees can be assured about their safety.
Chinese value education, and support academic events. Therapy is allowed in China, and in fact, there is a recognition of the vast need for mental health care, especially for troubled teens. Gestalt trainers have been coming to China to organise large workshops and trainings for 20 years.
One of the co-supporters of the conference (Sangzi) is a Shanghai based training company, which is identified as officially responsible for the conference. Security issues are addressed through registration of the conference with local authorities, so it becomes an approved event. The conference also has liaison with academic institutions and representatives.
Shanghai airports are the 10th busiest in the world. So there are plenty of international flights coming in, and cheaper tickets are generally available.
There are two airports - Pudong (PVG) and Shanghai (SHA). Most international flights route through PVG, and SHA is mostly for domestic flights. SHA is closer to the venue, but PVG is only an hour by car.
Taxis are easily available at the airport, and from Pudong will cost around $40. Uber does not work in China, but you can download the Didi app.
Google Maps will not work. Apple Maps will. It’s a good idea to download Amap Global, which is an excellent and accurate Chinese app, which also includes searching for items such as restaurants, and provides public transport, walking and cycle routes. You can also book a taxi through this app.
Shanghai has one of the world’s largest metro systems: 21 lines and 517 stations. New stations are constantly being added. It is cheap, efficient, and goes to most destinations you would want.
China has an extensive network of fast trains. To give you an example, you can go by train from Shanghai to Beijing in 4.5 hours, for a cost of $100. A plane flight will take 2.5 hours, plus onboarding and off boarding ... the train is faster. The best way to book trains is to use the Trip.com app. This app is also good for booking accomodation in China.
As part of a policy of greater openness China is making it easier for foreigners to visit. Chinese immigration officials respect your privacy, and will not ask to examine your social media or other such matters; passing through customs is generally a very straightforward affair.
China has wide ranging visa exemption policies in place. The standard is a 30 day visa free period for the majority of countries - European members states, Oceania, and a range of Middle Eastern and South American countries. There are 10 day transit-without-visa programs for the UK, the USA, Canada and Mexico amongst others. For an updated list, the best place to consult is:
Current visa policies of China
China has a long timeline. It's civilisation can be traced back to at least 4,000 years ago. It can be overwhelming to digest all of that, and yet it's important to understand something of the ground out of which modern China emerges. Here is one broad summary where you might like to start.
There is much to see in China. If you want to do a tour, Trip.com is well priced and has good customer service. Intrepid Tours are boutique, and they are a B-Corp, so dedicated to social values.
You might also like to check out the Weifang International Kite Festival which is held the following week near to Qingdao.