Do you understand what they are trying to tell you? Or warn you??
But then again, they have come a long way...... At least they are trying.
Good luck to you if you don't speak Mandarin, I've problem communicating with the locals, especially in Beijing. Hardly anyone speaks English on the street. The accent is Shanghai is much easier to comprehend.
If you have English-speaking friends calling you at your hotel, it is best for you to call the front desk and tell them to put the call to your room. Not sure if you will have this problem in the more expensive hotels though.

