What Websites Are Blocked in China?

Understanding China's Internet Censorship

The Great Firewall of China (GFW) is one of the world's most sophisticated internet censorship systems, blocking access to thousands of foreign websites and services. Our database tracks 396 major platforms tested daily from Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen to provide accurate, real-world blocking data.

How the Great Firewall Blocks Websites

Why These Websites Are Blocked

China blocks foreign websites for several reasons:

• Political Control: News sites, social media platforms, and communication apps that could be used to organize protests or spread dissent
• Economic Protectionism: Blocking foreign competitors to help domestic tech companies like Baidu, Tencent, and Alibaba dominate the market
• Information Control: Preventing access to information about sensitive topics like Tiananmen Square, Tibet, Xinjiang, and criticism of the Chinese government
• Cultural Sovereignty: Limiting foreign cultural influence and promoting "internet sovereignty" with Chinese characteristics

Workarounds and Alternatives

For each blocked service in our database, we provide:

• Workarounds: Whether a VPN for China is required, if an international eSIM with a foreign IP works, or if alternative access methods exist
• Chinese Alternatives: Domestic equivalents that work natively in China (though subject to government censorship)
• Blocking Methods: Technical details on how the GFW blocks each service
• Historical Context: When blocking started and how it has evolved

Based on 90-day testing from Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen, only Astrill VPN (98% success), VyprVPN (87% on China Unicom), and ExpressVPN (71% uptime) reliably bypass the Great Firewall. NordVPN and ProtonVPN are completely blocked as of February 2026.

Alternatively, an Airalo eSIM or Holafly eSIM routes your traffic through a foreign carrier's IP, bypassing some blocks without a traditional VPN — useful for travellers heading to China.