Chinese internet publishing options
The rules and regulations of publishing internet site content in mainland China are the governance of PR China. This paper is our understanding as of the date of publication.
Publishing internet content in mainland China, such as a website or app, is subject to national government rules and regulations enforced locally by the city/region.
These rules and regulations require your business to have access to an Internet content publishing (ICP) license before publishing on the Chinese Internet. Different levels of ICP licenses allow you to publish various types of content and trade online.
However, there are ways of publishing online in China without your business needing its ICP. These are Chinese platforms and services, such as Chinese e-mails, social media, search engines, etc., where the service providers must make sure their customers follow the Chinese publishing rules and regulations.
Under some conditions, Access to China will help international businesses establish their internet content in China by acting as an agent for their Chinese publication. There are many ways of publishing your internet content in China. We recommend that you consider all of them before selecting options.
These options are in three groups;
- International and Chinese e-Commerce platforms
- International and Chinese System as a Service (SaaS)
- Your internet presence.
Note: “International” in the context of this paper means “any platform or service running outside mainland China” and includes Hong Kong and Macau.
No ICP is needed for internet content published outside China, including Hong Kong and Macau. However, access to your internet content outside China may be blocked (e.g., YouTube, Facebook, etc.) or slowed down, making it unusable (e.g., Google).
We recommend you perform two activities, regardless of your trading intention.
- Test your internet content accessibility from mainland China. Review what can and cannot be seen, webtest.accesstochina.com
- Register your company brands in China. For more information, please see the article on intellectual property.
If you need any further information, please get in touch with us at support@accesstochina.com
Management summary of Chinese internet publication options
- International and Chinese e-Commerce and IT platforms
In mainland China, e-Commerce and IT platforms are very popular. The service providers have the Chinese government's approval to publish on the Chinese Internet. Therefore, you do not need an Internet Contents Provider (ICP) license to use the providers' services.
The Chinese platform suppliers ensure customers follow Chinese publication and trading rules and regulations.
If you are selling from inside mainland China, you will require a Chinese business to process payments, tax returns, etc. Most SDPs have an international service that enables you to sell to mainland China without having a local Chinese company.
International search engines
Bing 35.96% of searches in China.
Google blocked in China.
Google 19.4% worldwide Mandarin traffic.
Article: Chinese search engines
Good Option
Chinese search engines
Baidu 47.07%
360 search Haosou 8.08%
Sogou 3.69%
Shenma 1.68%
Article: Chinese search engines
Option for consideration for Baidu (SEO in Mandarin)
International Chinese retail e-Malls
Tmall Global
JDBuy international
Redbook
Pinduoduo Global Shopping
Douyin E-Commerce Global
DHgate
Article: Chinese e-Commerce third party vs website
Option for consideration.
It can be costly.
Chinese local retail e-Malls
Taobao, TMall, JDbuy, Pinduoduo, 1688.com, Redbook, Meituan, etc.
There are many local Chinese e-malls. You will need a Chinese company or person to sell these e-Malls.
Article: Chinese e-Commerce third party vs website
It is a good place for research.
You require a local Chinese agent to sell.
Chinese B2B platforms
Alibaba (B2B platform) is the largest and most widely used business platform in China and internationally.
This has been very successful for Chinese and overseas companies worldwide. It is the perfect place to research the world market. In listing, you will open your company to a potential 60% of the world market.
Article: Chinese e-Commerce
Option for consideration
International media channels
International media channels are blocked in China.
This is a problem when you use media channel content on your website. While your website is not blocked due to this, you have missing content when opening your website in China.
You can check what can be seen in China: Website Page Test
Review your website content
Chinese media channels
China has powerful media channels, including Tudou, Youku, and QIY. Over 100 media channels are in China, and they are tightly regulated. Overseas companies can upload their business media content on some of these services provided the Chinese regulations are followed.
Article: Information being updated
Possible option
International social media
All international social media sites, including LinkedIn, are blocked in China.
You can check what can be seen in China: Website Page Test
Article: Information being updated
Review your website content
Chinese social media
Chinese social media is very successful, with millions of consumers and businesses.
There are many social media platforms. The biggest is WeChat.
Overseas consumers and businesses can use WeChat and be seen in China.
TikTok, available to overseas consumers and businesses, cannot be seen in China.
Article: Information being updated
Possible option
Chinese AI
China is quickly developing and rolling out the Internet of Things (millions of devices per month). Again, Chinese rules and regulations are still to be developed.
Article: Information being updated
Option to monitor
International and Chinese System as a Service (SaaS)
Software as a service (SaaS) is software licensing. It is delivered on a subscription basis and centrally hosted and managed. It is sometimes referred to as "on-demand software” and was formerly referred to as "software plus services" by Microsoft.
An overseas company can offer SaaS to a business or consumer in mainland China, provided the service runs outside China.
If you have SaaS already, please check that your software components are accessible from China: https://webtest.accesstochina.com (including the help desk/support systems).
International search engines
Your SaaS is running internationally outside China.
Check that your service can be seen and used in China: Website Page Test
Article: Information being updated
Possible option
Chinese enclosed network
Your SaaS is hosted locally in China and accessed by Chinese offices over a non-public port and firewall configuration allowing office-to-office connections only.
Article: Information being updated
Good option
Chinese white Label
White-labelled your SaaS to Chinese businesses
The Chinese company will be responsible for the ICP so the software can remain controlled.
Article: Information being updated
Good option
Chinese public
Local Chinese hosting, ICP certification, and a Chinese business will be required, as will locally hosted software.
Article: Information being updated
Option for consideration
Split services between Chinese and international SaaS
Local Chinese hosting, ICP certification and a Chinese business will be required. Host the “Front” of your software in Hong Kong (with a direct connection) and host your backend software elsewhere.
This will significantly increase the protection IPR.
Article: Information being updated
Good option
Your business website in China
Publishing your internet content internationally or within China using a hosting service, server, etc.
Use your existing website
This is the “do nothing” option. You can leave your website on its existing domain and platform.
Problems with domain name and website response times in China often prevent the visibility of your business, products, and services.
Check that your website can be seen and used in China: Website Page Test
Article: Business domain name not been found in China
The first point to be checked
Asia website hosting
A copy of your website (using a local Chinese-hosted domain is recommended) on our Asia hosting services with direct access to China’s internet.
Website content often needs changes to make your website seen in China.
Article: Access to China Asian cloud services
Work is often needed to update and maintain the website
Dynamic cloud platform
A dynamic copy of your website (a reverse proxy) with direct access to China's internet.
Corrections are made to your website dynamically as required so that the website contents can be seen.
Article: Make your business website seen and found in China
Good Option
Trading without borders
Trading without borders is a concept started by Alibaba over eight years ago. Alibaba found a way to allow overseas businesses to trade online in China by splitting your website between China, marketing, data and Hong Kong for order processing.
Our dynamic cloud platform allows your business to split your ordering processing in a simpler way.
Article: Products and services without borders
Good Option
Last modified: Version 3.4 - March 2025