When preparing for your China tour, you will always pack some electronic products and electrical appliances. But the voltage and plug sockets in China are usually different from those in other countries. So converters and plug adapters are necessary.
In Mainland China, the electricity supply is 220 V, 50 HZ; that for Hong Kong is 200 V and 110 V in Taiwan. In most European countries, the voltage is also 220V, but in the United Kingdom it is 240 V. Most Asian countries use 220 V, but Japan uses 100 V. A voltage of 110 - 130 V is used in North America. Therefore, you need to check the input voltage of your appliances before you go to China, and you may need a voltage converter if your appliances require a different voltage. It is usually CNY 100 - 200 for a normal converter. In some luxury and mid-range hotels, the guest room has an electricity outlet supporting 240 V and 110 V near the toilet table, and most modern appliances have a wide voltage range, from 100 V to 240 V.
Plug Seat in China:
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Plug Seat in Mainland China: falls into two main types - plug seat with two parallel flat blade and V-shaped plug seat with two flat angled blades and one vertical blade |
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Plug Seat in Hong Kong: V-shaped with three square shaped pins |
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Plug Seat in Taiwan: comprises two types - the socket with two parallel flat blades, and V-shaped with two flat blades and one round blade |
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If your appliances happen to have a different plug from those in your hotel room, a travel plug adapter is needed. It can be found in some hardware stores, and the price is less than CNY 10. Many hotels provide the adapters free of charge, and you just need to pay a deposit which will be returned to you when you check out.
In some Chinese hotels, you will get a card after you check in, which is used to open the door of your room and control the power. Usually you need to plug the card into a slot on the wall near the door, and there will be power in the room. If you unplug the card, even the sockets do not work.
If you are planning a long-term China tour and decide to rent an apartment by your own, you may need to know that the rent does not include electricity, gas, or water. The price for residential electricity in China is around CNY 0.5 per kilowatt-hour, and varies in different cities.
Tips: 
Electricity Voltage for some countries and areas: |
Countries and Areas
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Voltage (V)
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Japan
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100
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Philippines, Brazil
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110/115
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Taiwan, Bolivia, Colombia, Panama
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110/220
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USA
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120
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Vietnam, Canada
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120/220
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Saudi Arabia, Mexico
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127
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Hungary, Monaco, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Korea, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Egypt, Morocco
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220
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South Africa
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220 - 250
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Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, India, Mauritius, New Zealand
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230
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Cyprus, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Australia
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240
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Prices for residential electricity in China:
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City
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Price (Yuan/ kilowatt-hour)
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City
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Price (Yuan/ kilowatt-hour)
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Beijing
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0.4883
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Shenzhen
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0.68
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Shanghai
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0.617 (06:00 - 22:00)
0.307 (22:00 - 06:00)
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Guilin
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0.5283
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Xian
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0.49
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Sanya
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0.6083
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Guangzhou
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0.573
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Lhasa
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0.49
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Hong Kong
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HKD 0.9 (Kowloon)
HKD 1 (Hong Kong Island)
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Hangzhou
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0.568 (08:00 - 22:00)
0.288 (22:00 - 08:00)
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Macau
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MOP 0.858
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Lijiang
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0.46
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