I'm not entirely sure what you mean here so here are your options (as I see them)
Firstly, you can't change your number to a Chinese number without buying a SIM card from a local network in China. This is nothing to do with EE but if your handset is unlocked (which I think most are by default these days). You should be good.
As for your UK number, are you still in contract with EE? If so, you have the option of either:
- Continuing to pay the contract each month or
- Paying an early termination fee and ending your contact now.
If you opt for the latter, then just port your number across to a pay as you go provider. Pop some credit on it and make a chargeable call / text once every couple of months. Keeps the number alive for when you come back from China. If you do opt to do this, then get it ported across before you leave the UK so you know you're all good and working. We see people complain that they port to PAYG when overseas and it doesn't work if it hasn't been used in the UK first.
Another tip - irrespective of whether you're on EE PAYM or you've gone to PAYG is turn your voicemail off. You can do this by typing ##002# into your phone and dialling it like a phone number. It cancel diverts and just means if someone does call you when you're in China, you're not paying to route that call back to a voicemail box in the UK.
If you need to keep the number live (e.g. for one time pins from banks etc.) then if you have a dual sim phone (e.g. an iPhone), turn it into an eSim and then you can still have it working in your phone but have your voice/text/data preferences pointing to your Chinese sim (when you get one). I do the same with my Greek sim. It's there but in the background but works for bank pins etc.
Happy travels.
