Turbocharge your experience in China by adding these apps to your arsenal.

If you haven’t noticed already, people’s lives are dominated by their mobile phones from mobile payments to transportation, your phone can be used to do almost anything.
The best way to access all the best features is through mobile apps and there are plenty to choose from. Below we have compiled the top must-have apps:

1⃣  DiDi – Transportation
2⃣  WeChat – Communication
3⃣  Alipay – Payment
4⃣  Meituan – Food and taxis
5⃣  Pleco – Dictionary
6⃣  Eleme – Food delivery
7⃣  Taobao – Online shopping
8⃣  Trip – Travel bookings
9⃣  Plume – Air quality

Which other Apps would you recommend?

Let us know in the comment section!

The post Top 9 Apps for Foreigners in China appeared first on Chengdu Expat.

Furthermore, the best way to access all the best features in China is through mobile apps and there are plenty to choose from. Below we have compiled the top must-have apps in while living in China.

What would a list of Chinese Apps be without mentioning WeChat. You are likely to have heard of this app and you are most likely already using it. With its main function as a messaging and calling tool, this app offers so much more than just that. While you might not need another app for any form of communication among friends and colleagues, WeChat’s Groups function is where this app really comes alive.

WeChatPay & AliPay

WeChat also allows you to make payments on almost anywhere from large shopping centers to international chains and even your local street vendor. This and Alipay (支付宝) “zhifubao”, are the only payment apps that Chinese people need and payments can be used by just scanning a QR code. Also, you can very easily send and receive money between your contacts in which will be deposited into your “WeChat Wallet”. Did you know that you can also pay for things such as your phone bill and utilities using WeChat?

Also, did you know that through WeChat you have access to many other features such as booking Rail & Flights, Hotels, Movie Tickets, Ride-Hailing, and more. To access them just go to your profile and select the WeChat Pay option as you normally do when making a payment. Then, just scroll down and you will notice different options such as the ones shown in the image below.

Welcome to China’s answer to Uber with the app completely dominating the ride-hailing market in China. With this app, you can either use your phone to hail a DiDi driver or hail an official city taxi for you, or you can reserve a car for a specific time. The drivers are rated which provides a level of accountability which you can trust.

DiDi – English

Don’t worry if your Chinese isn’t that strong as you can use English names of places or show the driver the location, they all use navigation, so you don’t have to worry about giving directions. It will also be able to sync with your WeChat account and select automatic payments for ultimate ease, with functions such as the app being able to remember where you tend to go at certain times or on certain days and suggest the location for you.

Navigation

Baidu 百度地图

For navigation, Baidu Maps is the equivalent of Google maps in china. Offering far better insight and knowledge into all of the streets and city networks, Baidu maps also provide the times and routes by bus, subway, bike and more. Despite the app being in Chinese, its user-friendly interface is still simple to use and can help you get familiar with Chinese names of places.

​Train and Flight Bookings

C-Trip – 携程旅游

If you are looking to go slightly further and book yourself some train and plane tickets then this app is perfect for you, and even better, they have stopped charging fees for train tickets.

If you are familiar with apps like Uber Eats or Deliveroo in Europe and the US then look no further than to these Chinese equivalents. You have probably seen a lot of food delivery guys rushing around the city, these are known as ‘Waimai guys’. In Modern Day China, you can get whatever you want delivered to your door. Choose a restaurant from the app, select the food you want and pay with WeChat or Alipay, the app will remember your address and your order history, and you can even order things from a supermarket, including items for your kitchen or bathroom.

Luckin Coffee

This coffee chain that started in 2018 is spreading around China at an astonishing pace and is taking Starbucks head on to be the Coffee King of China. Their storefronts are popping up everywhere in cities like Xi’an and Chengdu so they can offer faster, fresher service than any of their competitors. With their own app, they can cut out the Meituan middleman.

If you are looking to brush up on your Chinese knowledge and access to terminology, look no further than apps like  Pleco. This app allows you to either write in the stroke order of Chinese characters and get a definition or even speak It into the app and it will convert this into the characters and provide you with the pinyin and definition.

Pleco

Buying your groceries and other stuff has been aided by a number of apps to make your shopping experience better.

Taobao  淘宝

Hema 盒马

This is the Alibaba company’s new chain of mobile-forward supermarkets, filled with fresh meat and produce and lots of other snacks and surprises. What’s even better about these supermarkets is that they integrate the online shopping experience with an in-person one. This means you can shop for all your essential groceries from the comfort of your home, you can also use the Taobao app or the Hema app however they only take Alipay.

Alternatively, JD.com’s app Jingdon Dao Jia will fill the void nicely. Rather than focusing on one supermarket chain this provides access to a range of different supermarkets as well as smaller specialty shops like local fruit and produce markets.

Ever feel you are short for time and aren’t able to go out and complete an errand because you have an important work deadline approaching. Then look no further than the following apps:

Yuyu UU跑腿

This is china’s answer to task Rabbit, and UU drivers can be a very useful courier service, able to send and receive items between two locations such as collecting your keys or going to a store to get something for you. Your UU guy can also wait in line for you at the bank, at the hospital or even at restaurants, all for a small fee.

Ayi Bang  阿姨帮

These match users to works that can provide services they might need around the house such as cleaning or repairs. Costs will be incurred by the hour, but there is a staggering list of services on offer as well.

To finish this list of the top apps that you can’t live without in China we have provided a shortlist of additional apps that we believe might be useful.

Social Media – Weibo

This social media works similar to twitter and operations like a live feed.

Dating – TanTan

China’s equivalent to Tinder. Get swiping to find your match.

Photo Editing – Meitu

Get the perfect filter for your favorite selfies.

Air Quality Index – Plume

Make sure you are aware of the pollution levels wherever you are.

Entertainment – Douyin 抖音

Known as TikTok Outside of China, this app is one of the most downloaded apps in China providing hours of entertainment of user-made content.

ChengduExpat+ MiniProgram

You may have already heard about our ChengduExpat+ Mini-Program that can help you find what you are looking looking for in Chengdu. Our Mini-Program can be used to find almost everything from restaurants, bars, events, jobs, news, useful info and more. The ChengduExpat+ Mini-Program really has it all at your fingertips.

One of the coolest features of our Mini-Program is the search function. At the very top of the Home page is the Search Bar, here you can search for anything in the Mini-Program and you will be directed to the correct page. All searches are saved in My Searches, so you can access them again at any time.  

Scan code below to access the Mini-Program:

The post Top 20 Apps You Can’t Live Without in China appeared first on Chengdu Expat.

https://v.qq.com/x/page/d06552rl110.html?ptag=4_6

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This is the best opportunity to explore the game industry in a top gaming company

For students, Inter-G is a terrific winter internship.

For professionals, Inter-G is a great program to learn and practice.

IGG is a renowned developer and publisher of mobile games with a strong global presence and international customer base of 480 million from over 200 countries and regions around the world. IGG has its headquarters in Singapore, with 13 regional offices in the United States, Hong Kong, mainland China, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Belarus, the Philippines, Dubai, Indonesia, etc.

IGG’s annual revenue exceeds 3.8 billion RMB, with market value of around 14 billion RMB.In 2017, IGG ranked 21st among global game publishers and 3rd among Chinese game publishers in terms of annual gross profit generated via App Store and Google Play.Also, IGG’s biggest projects Lords Mobile and Castle Clash have both hit top positions in the global Google Play ratings over the past 2 years！

(Charts from App Annie showing the most popular Chinese games in the overseas market in the first half of 2018)

The internship takes place in the IGG China office in Fuzhou. During the internship you will have the chance to enjoy IGG’s perfect work and life atmosphere. Never thought that an office job would give you access to a gym, swimming pool, library, and cinema in one place? Well, it’s possible in IGG, come see for yourself!

                                                                               

Watch the video below to learn more about IGG.

https://v.qq.com/x/page/d06552rl110.html?ptag=4_6

Inter-G

Introduction

Event Highlights

Requirements

You must be:

• A foreigner with Chinese proficiency of HSK4 or equivalent.
• An avid gamer who loves and understands games.
• Over the age of 18.

Scan the QR below to apply, applications are free.

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PS:

If you are interested in joining Project Inter-G and want to know more, scan the QR code below to join the QQ group (please include your country, your school/employer and your name when you apply to join). Once you join the group, you will get more information about Project Inter-G.

Group Name: Inter-G Talent Pool

Group No.: 907894464

It’s a game about games.

Ask yourself, are you ready to fight?

If you are not interested in Inter-G, but are looking for a full-time job in the game industry, scan the QR code below and visit the IGG website for more details.
Read more

The post Top Game Developer Internship! appeared first on Chengdu Expat.

Tibet Vacation now arrange an 8 day bus tour, with a classic route, covering all of the best sights, sounds, and smells Tibet has to offer. You have the chance to see sun rise and sunset over Everest . What’s more it’s a trip suitable for all fitness levels. The itinerary is as follows:

Day 1

Arrive in Lhasa (at 3650m) by plane or by train

You will be warmly welcomed to Tibet with a Tashi Delek at the Train station or Airport by their professional Tibetan guides. Later you will be sent to the hotel that’s been specially reserved for you in Lhasa. It’s good to take it slow for the rest of the day to acclimatize to the altitude.

Accommodation: Yak Hotel, Gangjian Hotel, or similar 3 star Hotel (you can also upgrade to a 4 or 5 star hotel if you prefer).

Day 2

Sightseeing: Potala Palace/ Jokhang Temple/ Barkhor Street 

In the morning, you will visit the famous Potala Palace. It was built in 7th century and this world heritage site is the highest building in Lhasa. With around 1000 stairs up you will have a great view of beautiful Lhasa city and its surroundings.

After the temple, you can enjoy some time around Barkor Street – you can either walk clockwise to have the kora like locals, have a cup of Tibet butter tea, or look for stores selling handcrafts, local food and costumes.

A free welcome dinner will be arranged for you when you come back!

Accommodation: Yak Hotel, Gangjian Hotel, or similar 3 star Hotel(can be updated to 4/5 star)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

 Day 3

Lhasa Sightseeing: Drepung Monastery/ Sera Monastery 

You will start your morning by visiting Drepung Monastery. It is one of the great three Gelug monasteries in Tibet, and is also famous for hosting the Great Buddha Display and Tibetan Opera Shows during the Shoton Festival.

Later in the afternoon, you go to the another one of the “Great Three” – Sera Monastery, where you will experience the very unique debates amongst the

monks. They believe debating helps them better understand Buddhist philosophy. The debates are held on weekdays from 3 to 5 in the afternoon.

Accommodation: Yak Hotel, Gangjian Hotel, or similar 3 start hotels (upgrades can also be arranged).

Meals provided: Breakfast

Day 4 

Lhasa/ Gyangtse(4040m)/ Shigatse(3836m), 360km,6-7hrs

Passing by Nyangchu Valley, and Gampala Pass(4900m), the zigzag road will lead you to Yamdrok Lake (4400m), the turquoise water is surreal and especially stunning under the sunshine.

Driving along the picturesque lake, you then meet the Karo-la glacier (4960m) which you can overlook from

the roadside. Then you continue to drive to Gyantse – a famous historical city, where you will pay avisit to Pelkor Monastery and

Gantse Kumbum. Later you will arrive in Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet.

Accommodation: Manasarovar Hotel, Zangba Hotel, or similar 3 star hotel (upgrades available).

Meals provided: Breakfast

Day 5 

Shigatse/ Everest Base Camp (5200m), 350km, 7-8hrs

In the morning, you will visit the Panchen Lama’s residence – called Tashilumpo Monastery. It was built in 1447 and housed one of the largest glided Maitreya Buddhastatue in the world decorated with gold, diamonds, pearls and other precious stones.

Later passing by Latse, Shegar (you can look up at Mt. Everest) you will arrive at Rongbuk Monastery (at 5100m), the world’s highest monastery. From here, you continue 4km by car to reach Everest Base Camp. If time and weather allows, you will enjoy the beautiful sunset over Everest peak from the lodging area.

Accommodation: Dorm Bed at Rongbuk Gueshouse, or EBC Tents Camp

Meals provided: Breakfast

Day 6 

Everest Base Camp/ Shigatse, 350km, 7-8hrs

The day is started with an early morning view of sunrise over Everest peak (8848m) – weather permiting.

You will also get the chance to look at other famous peaks such as Cho Oyu (8201m), Shishapangma (8012m) etc. After that, you will be driven back to Shigaste.

Accommodation: Manasarovar Hotel, Zangba Hotel, or similar 3 star hotel (upgrades are available).

Day 7 

Shigatse/Lhasa,280km, 6hrs

After breakfast, the group drive back to Lhasa along Yalunzangbu river, and will be dropped off at your hotel.

Accommodation: Yak Hotel,Gangjian Hotel, or similar 3 star hotel (upgrades available).

Meals provided: Breakfast

Day 8 

Lhasa Airport/Train station drop off

Your journey ends today and your guide will drop you at the airport or train station

Meals: Breakfast provided

Prices from: $838 USD per person

Group Size: Maximum 12 people
Tour Dates: They arrange every month (except March)

www.grouptibettour.com

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