FootpathChina
Traffic rules
China
6. Footpath
A footpath is a path or part of a road intended primarily for pedestrian traffic. It may run alongside a road, through a park or residential area, or independently from roads used by motor vehicles.
A footpath may be reserved exclusively for pedestrians or may form part of a shared route with cyclists or other permitted users. Access, priority and permitted users depend on the traffic signs and local regulations applying to the path.
Wikimedia.org • Gerd Eichmann • CC BY-SA
What does China call a roadside pavement?
The official term is 人行道, a pedestrian pavement. The Road Traffic Safety Law requires pedestrians to walk on it; where none exists, they must walk along the roadside. A non-motor-vehicle lane is a different part of the road.
🔗 xzfg.moj.gov.cn • Mainland China — Law Articles 36 and 61–63; Regulation 75
🔗 jtgl.beijing.gov.cn • Beijing Traffic Police — full Road Traffic Safety Law, 2021 amended text
🔗 samr.gov.cn • SAMR — full implementing Regulations, 2017 amended text
Does a Chinese pedestrian pavement automatically serve as a cycle lane?
No. The law distinguishes facilities for pedestrians, non-motor vehicles and motor vehicles. Bicycles normally use the non-motor-vehicle lane; the pedestrian pavement is the walking route. Follow the applicable signs and authorised local arrangements rather than assuming a wide pavement permits cycling.
🔗 xzfg.moj.gov.cn • Mainland China — Law Articles 36 and 61–63; Regulation 75
🔗 jtgl.beijing.gov.cn • Beijing Traffic Police — full Road Traffic Safety Law, 2021 amended text
🔗 samr.gov.cn • SAMR — full implementing Regulations, 2017 amended text
Mandatory path for pedestrians.
English • Traffic sign 示35 (symbol category) • Pedestrians only. No vehicles may enter this section; observe supplementary operating times. Identified by sign category or symbol meaning; an exact match between this complete drawing and the current standard layout has not been confirmed.
中文 • 示35图形类别 • 行人。 该段道路仅供行人步行，任何车辆不准进入；有时段规定时按辅助标志执行。 已按标志类别或图形含义识别；此完整图形与现行标准版式的精确对应尚未确认。
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Openstd.samr.gov.cn • 国家标准全文公开 • GB 5768.2-2022（含第1号修改单）
🔗 Upload.wikimedia.org • 标准原文镜像 • PDF第65页
SVG source: Beijing Traffic Management Bureau • Public domain • Original revision 2022-12-12. Wikimedia original unmodified.
What should I do when leaving a Chinese pavement to cross the road?
Use a pedestrian crossing or other crossing facility. Follow pedestrian signals where provided. At a junction or road section without the relevant signals or crossing facilities, cross only after confirming it is safe. Do not climb or cross road-separation barriers.
🔗 xzfg.moj.gov.cn • Mainland China — Law Articles 36 and 61–63; Regulation 75
🔗 jtgl.beijing.gov.cn • Beijing Traffic Police — full Road Traffic Safety Law, 2021 amended text
🔗 samr.gov.cn • SAMR — full implementing Regulations, 2017 amended text
