To travel to China you MUST have both a Chinese tourist VISA and a passport. 

Passports

It is recommended that passports be valid for at least several months after your planned return date.

In order for a passport to be valid, it must have at least two blank pages (one for the VISA itself and one for the immigration stamp). Keep in mind that the last three pages in a U.S. passport are not acceptable for VISA use.

If you need to renew or apply for a passport, please do so as soon as possible. There have been significant delays in passport processing times recently, and with the large number of people that will likely need passports for the Games, it might take up to a few months to receive your passport.

Apply for or renew a passport

VISAs

There are a few types of Chinese VISAs. For a person traveling to China for the Olympics or Paralympics, the tourist VISA (also known as type L) is recommended. To obtain a Chinese VISA, you must fill out a tourist VISA application and send the application, along with your passport and a loose passport photo, to a VISA agency for issuing. The passport photo must be regulation size (2"x2") and on official passport photo paper. Official passport photos can be taken at Walgreen’s, CVS, and most photo studios and post offices. The application process can take several weeks, longer if your passport needs to be re-issued, so be sure to leave adequate time before your travel date.

*The VISA requirements for China have recently changed. Now, in order to secure a Chinese VISA, you must present a travel itinerary at the time of application. If you have not already booked a flight to China you can submit an itinerary "on hold", meaning that you can put a flight on hold through a travel website but not pay for it yet, and present this as proof of travel to the VISA agency you use.

There are many credible agencies that process VISA applications. The United States Olympic Committee recommends VISA Express, which USRowing has used in the past. They offer several service options, including same day, 24-hour, week, and standard processing. 

VISA Express
Attn: VISA Department
3120 Southwest Freeway, Suite 108
Houston, TX 77098
1-800-884-7579
www.visaexpress.net

Download Chinese VISA application

Chinese Embassy VISA information

Consular Information on China

If You Lose Your Passport

You should always travel with several color copies of your passport and VISA page in the event that your passport is lost or stolen. It also is recommended that you leave a copy of your passport and VISA page with a friend in the U.S. that you can contact in the event that your passport is lost or stolen. If you do lose your passport, contact the U.S. Embassy in Beijing immediately for assistance in getting a replacement.

U.S. Department of State Lost Passport Instructions