Most four and five star hotel gift shops sell English language newspapers that are published overseas such as the International Herald Tribune and the Financial Times. Most hotels will have complimentary copies of the China Daily which is the only national English language newspaper in China. Most hotels and popular restaurants and bars have free English language magazines that provide many listings.

At major hotels in large cities, you should have some international TV channels such as CNN, BCC, Star TV, ESPN and National Geography which are available via satellite. China Central TV Station offers English programs on Channels 4 and 9. By 2008, there should be approximately 200 international channels in China through international TB signal transmission by eight submarine cables and five satellites.

Guide books and travel maps can be found in most gift stores in major hotels as well as foreign language bookstores in major cities.