Medical emergency in mainland China

Call 120

Give your exact location first. Language support differs by city; ask a Chinese speaker nearby to help if possible, but do not delay the call.

Call 120
Editorial illustration about calling for an ambulance and sharing a location
AI-generated editorial illustration.

Emergency contact information, not triage or first aid

The 120 number and non-clinical call fields are source checked against National Health Commission guidance. This page does not assess symptoms, decide urgency or replace the dispatcher and responding professionals.

What to tell the operator

Location first, then follow the questions

01

Exact location

City, district, road, building, gate or a clear nearby landmark.

02

Reachable number

A phone number the dispatcher or ambulance team can call back.

03

Short description

Briefly state what happened and answer the dispatcher’s questions without guessing.

Useful Mandarin

Keep these phrases visible

Speak slowly. Show the Chinese text to someone nearby if that is faster.

We need an ambulance.我们需要救护车。Wǒmen xūyào jiùhùchē.
The address is…地址是……Dìzhǐ shì…
Please call this number back.请回拨这个号码。Qǐng huíbō zhège hàomǎ.

While help is being arranged

Keep the route clear

Send someone to meet the team at the gate when possible Keep the callback phone line available Collect identification and an existing medicines or allergy list Follow the dispatcher’s current instructions

Source reference

Emergency number source checked

National Health Commission · checked 14 July 2026