Given the relatively low cost of living in Beijing, many people find they can save some money during their stay. How you make the best of extra cash will depend on how long you expect to be in China and the tax regime in your own country.

There are a handful of firms to help with financial planning. They can recommend plans with respected companies like Zurich, Friends Provident or Generali that are tailored to your needs, including offshore funds. One such firm, Austen Morris Associates, says the offshore route can work particularly well if you intend to live in China for more than three to five years. You are likely to do better by saving overseas. Deposit interest rates at Chinese banks are still relatively low, meaning you won’t get much of a return. Such firms can also be useful for advice on pensions if you don’t have one provided by your company. Most expats moving with an existing job suspend their pensions back home and take up whatever is on offer through their company in China.

If you want to invest in China’s stock market, which has seen a remarkable rise in value in the last couple of years, it can be tricky. Expats can’t directly invest, and it’s difficult to buy into funds unless you have a bank account in Shanghai, where the country’s main stock market is based. Financial advisers also warn that there remain issues over the transparency of some companies listed in China. Perhaps the best way to expose your money to the China growth story is to buy into a mutual fund that invests mainly on the Hong Kong stock exchange, where many Chinese companies are listed.