Internet in China: what's blocked, what the law says about VPNs, and staying in touch

On a Chinese internet connection, most of the US apps you use every day simply don't load. Plan for that before you land, and learn the rules on getting around it, because they are stricter than many newcomers assume.

The short version

• China filters the internet at its borders, a system widely called the Great Firewall. Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, WhatsApp and many US news sites are blocked [3][4].
• Chinese rules require international internet traffic to go through state-approved channels. Unauthorized VPN services were declared illegal in 2017 [3].
• The State Department says VPN use is illegal in most cases in China and can lead to device confiscation, fines or detention [1].
• Authorities monitor platforms like WeChat and Weibo, and the State Department tells Americans to have no expectation of privacy online in China [1].
• Most long-term residents end up using WeChat for daily life and keep in touch with family through apps that work in both countries. This is general information, not legal advice.

What's blocked and what works

The Great Firewall isn't a single switch. It's a mix of blocked domains, filtered connections and slowed traffic, and what works can change without notice. Here's a snapshot of common US services, based on a widely used tracking list that itself notes it needs updating, so test anything you rely on [4].

The upshot for Americans: if your life runs on Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive and WhatsApp, a Chinese home or office connection will cut you off from all of it. The State Department sums it up as "most popular U.S. social media platforms are blocked" [1].

What the rules say about VPNs

A VPN (virtual private network) sends your traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a server elsewhere. Back in the States you might use one on airport Wi-Fi. In China, it's a legal question.

Here's the framework in neutral terms:

1. The 1996 rule on international connections. State Council Order No. 195 on international networking says no organization or individual may set up or use other channels to connect to the international network on their own. Connections must go through approved channels [3].
2. The 2017 crackdown on unauthorized VPN services. In 2017 the government declared unauthorized VPN services illegal and required providers to get state approval [3]. That's why many VPN apps disappeared from Chinese app stores.
3. Authorized cross-border access. The government has authorized official providers, and state institutions and companies use approved VPN-type connections for work [3]. Large multinational employers in Shanghai often provide approved corporate access for business use. Ask your employer's IT team what's set up and what the company policy is.
4. Enforcement. The State Department says VPN use is illegal in most cases and can lead to device confiscation, fines or detention [1]. In November 2025, China's Ministry of State Security also warned publicly that using a VPN to get around internet controls is illegal [3]. People who develop or sell VPN services face much heavier penalties than users [3].

In practice, enforcement against individual users varies, and you'll hear plenty of anecdotes from other expats. Anecdotes aren't the law. If your job, visa or family situation makes any legal trouble a serious risk, talk to your employer and, if needed, a lawyer in China before relying on any workaround. A US company's IT department can also tell you what its China policy allows.

Privacy: assume someone can read it

The State Department's advice is direct:

• There's no expectation of privacy on networks in China, and authorities may require access to your data [1].
• Avoid public Wi-Fi [1].
• Hotel internet use may be monitored, and social media is widely monitored [2].
• People have been held responsible for content in their posts, comments or the group chats they manage, and sending private messages critical of the government has led to detention or deportation [1][2].

This applies to WeChat too. It's the app everyone in Shanghai uses for messaging, payments, booking doctors and paying the electric bill, and it's monitored [1]. Use it for daily life, but don't treat it like an encrypted chat with your family back home. Keep sensitive work and personal documents off devices you carry in and out of China, and talk to your employer about a separate work phone or laptop if you handle confidential material.

Phones, roaming and eSIMs

You'll run into three setups:

Roaming on your US plan or a travel eSIM

Short-term visitors commonly keep their US plan with international roaming turned on, or buy a travel eSIM from a provider outside China before the trip. Roaming data is generally routed through the foreign carrier's network rather than a Chinese home connection, which is why many visitors find their usual apps still load while roaming. We haven't found an official Chinese source that addresses roaming specifically, so treat that as how visitors commonly report it working, not as a legal ruling. Roaming is also expensive for heavy use, and it doesn't solve the bigger problem for residents: daily life needs a Chinese phone number.

A Chinese SIM card

If you're moving to Shanghai, you'll want a local number from one of the big state-owned carriers, China Mobile, China Unicom or China Telecom. SIM cards are registered under your real name, so bring your passport. A Chinese number is what banks, Alipay, WeChat, delivery apps, your landlord and your kid's school will all ask for. Data on a local SIM goes through the Chinese network, so the blocks above apply.

Keeping your US number alive

Don't cancel your US number. Two-factor codes from US banks, brokerages, the IRS and your 401(k) provider usually go by text to your US number, and losing it can lock you out of accounts at the worst moment. Many Americans move their US number to a cheaper low-use plan or an eSIM line on a dual-SIM phone so it can still receive texts. Our guide on keeping your US phone number and accounts working in China goes into the details.

Keeping in touch with home

Here's what Americans in Shanghai commonly do to stay connected without breaking any rules:

1. Get the family on WeChat. Grandma in Ohio can install WeChat with a US number. It handles text, voice and video calls and works on both sides of the Pacific. Just remember it's monitored [1].
2. Use services that work in China. Zoom works on Chinese connections [4], which makes it a fallback for video calls with friends and for school or work meetings.
3. Rethink email. Gmail is blocked [4]. Set up forwarding to an email service that works in China, or make sure the people who matter have a second address for you.
4. Download before you go. Stream shows, podcasts and maps offline while you're still stateside. Load your family photos onto your phone, not just a Google Photos account.
5. Ask before you assume. Pick up the current, practical picture in our community group for Americans in China, where members share which everyday apps work on their connection right now.

One more thing for Americans: none of this changes your US obligations. Your Chinese bank account still counts for FBAR if your foreign balances top USD 10,000 at any point in the year [5], and Uncle Sam still wants his tax return on time. Make sure you can reach the IRS and your bank websites before deadlines, not the night before.

Sources

1. US Department of State: China Travel Advisory (updated October 19, 2026)
2. US Department of State: China International Travel Information
3. Wikipedia: Great Firewall
4. Wikipedia: List of websites blocked in mainland China
5. FinCEN: Report Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts

Keep reading

• Keeping your US phone number and accounts working in China
• Alipay and WeChat Pay for Americans in China
• Moving to Shanghai as an American: visa routes
• FBAR: reporting your foreign bank accounts