Foreigners Driving in China

You cannot drive with an International Driver’s Permit (IDP) in mainland China; China has not signed the convention which created IDPs. You need a Chinese license to drive in China. (Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan issued licenses are not considered Chinese licenses). Most visitors find they have enough trouble surviving Chinese traffic without actually taking the wheel. It is generally best to just rent a car with a driver or employ a driver if you buy a car. Because of Chinese wages, the cost of the driver is quite low.