Compared to many other countries, serious crimes against foreigners who come china for travel is rare. However, crime does occur both in cities and in the countryside. In an apparently random attack, an American man was killed and American woman injured in down town Beijing near the Drum Tower on 9 August 2008.
You should be aware that the theft of British passports, particularly in the larger cities, is on the increase. Major China tour cities attract thieves and pickpockets.