There are no major problems; generally speaking, it is a very safe country. Just be vigilant for robberies (wallets and especially luggage) in train and bus stations. Taxi drivers in Shanghai are notorious swindlers, so it's best to move around the city on the metro and ask the hotel the approximate cost of a taxi from the magnetic train station.
It is obligatory to be vaccinated against yellow fever if you have been in an infected country 6 days prior to entering China.
Vaccination is recommended against Hepatitis A and B, typhoid fever, rabies, tetanus and Japanese encephalitis, especially if you plan to visit rural areas (in most of our Smart Routes we recommend visiting the rural areas of Guangxi-Guilin and Yangshuo, so it's a good idea to get vaccinated!).
Protection against malaria is necessary for the Yunnan region (in our Smart Routes we only recommend passing through Yunnan if you visit Lijiang, a town not considered an area of risk).
In any event, we recommend visiting your nearest health and vaccination centre at least 6 weeks before travelling. There you will find the most current information about vaccinations that you will need.
We think you might be interested in these suggested itineraries around China.
