Access to China Articles

Being seen on the internet China

Being seen on the internet in China articles

In many ways, Chinese trading is no different from any other country or region. Chinese businesses and consumers will always look for your business's internet presence.

Your business's internet presence can be found in many different mediums, from your websites through business platforms such as LinkedIn to social media such as Facebook and YouTube.

The problem in China is that many third-party platforms can not be seen.

All overseas social media is blocked. This also includes LinkedIn as of 2023.

Most business websites are not blocked in China. The few that are blocked usually share an IP address with a blacklist of website content.

The issue is that 80%+ of business websites trying to be seen cannot be opened, responded to slowly (over 30 seconds) or have content missing (typically social media).

This collection of articles helps you understand the issues of Being Seen in the world's largest online market.

Summary of ‘Being Seen in seen in China’ articles

1. Visible in China?

There are many reasons why a website page is not seen in China. The most common reasons are straightforward to correct;

Website IP address blocked
Chinese Name services
Load blocked service files from your local host server
Social media files
CDN services have poor performance in China

We recommend using our free web page testing tools to understand your business website response times in China and the parts of your web page that cannot be seen.

2. Chinese internet structure

Internet presence in mainland China is the best way to be seen on the Internet in China, provided your Chinese hosting provider has access to all three major networks;

China Telecom
China Unicom (merge with China Netcom)
China Mobile

Your choice of internet provider for hosting and connection heavily influences the performance of your internet content, website, social media, app, and more. Therefore, selecting the right provider inside and outside China is a critical decision that can significantly impact being seen in China.

3. Chinese name servers (DNS records hosted in China)

International DNS (Domain Name Server) records can take two to three attempts for a browser in China to locate your website.

We strongly recommend purchasing a domain from us or another local Chinese domain supplier to increase your website's visibility in China.

4. Domain names for the Chinese market

What domain is appropriate for the Chinese market?

In 2022, Chinese authorities will only allow Chinese companies to own Chinese TLDs. This did not affect Chinese domain ownership at this stage, given that Chinese business agents only own the Chinese TLDs. The problem today is that if you use the Chinese TLD for overseas business, the Chinese authorities can close the domain name.

There are many options available for domain names for the Chinese market.

5. Internet access in China (Article to follow ASAP)

The Internet in China has been very successful. The broadband is high-speed, and mobile coverage is national, with few “poor service” areas. A lot of the networks are G5.

The cost of using the Internet is comparable to that of European networks. The network costs for cloud services are between $1 and £12 per GB, depending on the service.

Overseas use of the internet can be restricted for overseas customers.

6. Chinese internet firewall

The Chinese authorities exercise strict control over the Internet's contents, encompassing websites, social media, apps, and more within China. This pervasive control, often referred to by the overseas press and businesses as the Great Chinese Firewall is a significant aspect of the Chinese internet landscape.

Although most business content is not directly affected, a website's content can have a significant impact.

Understanding how the Chinese internet firewall works will help you be seen in China.

7. based on geographical location.

CDN stands for Content Delivery Network. It is a network of servers distributed worldwide that efficiently delivers content to users, such as websites, videos, and other digital assets. CDNs reduce latency, improve load times, and enhance overall user experience by caching content closer to the end-users.

8. The use of QR codes in China

Chinese social media platforms ingeniously tackled the language barrier by employing QR codes. When scanned, these codes provide access to services through embedded, long, and complex passwords. Consequently, QR code scanning has become ubiquitous among Chinese social media users.

Today, we see QR codes everywhere in China. They have replaced domain names in marketing and sales, and businesses and people have replaced the writing of their internet links with QR codes.

9. Website looks and feels for the Chinese market

Chinese companies and consumers want to see overseas websites that look and feel like their local country. They do not want to see a Chinese-looking site that will question the genuine source of a product or service.

We recommend keeping your website's look and feel unchanged for the Chinese market, provided it has a responsive design and is displayed clearly on mobiles and tablets.

10. Translation of your business website

When entering an overseas market, the assumption is that your website must be translated. This has never been the case for the Chinese market.

Chinese people have always used translation software as required.

The SEO data needs translating: titles, web page descriptions, and headings. By only translating the minimum data required by the Chinese search engines in terms of costs and the overhead of maintaining your website in multiple languages,

11. Automatic translation

While automatic translations are improving, they are still not correct. Translation errors are often due to written English, local terms, or the lack of use of business international English.

A consumer will not know the source of language on your website, and errors in the language will reflect poorly on it. For many years, the Chinese have used local software for translation as required. In doing so, they know it is an automatic translation and does not reflect poorly on your website.

We recommend using automatic translation to review written English. Start by using an automatic translation into any second language you or a member of staff/family can read. When you find an error, go back to the English and make changes.

12. Chinese Multimedia

Multimedia has become more important than the written or spoken word.

For example, good multimedia is the difference between success and failure in the hospitality industry. The same can be said for most products and services.

Social media will create multimedia for your product and services, both good and bad. We recommend taking control from the outset and publishing your multimedia at the outset.

13. Chinese social media and e-Commerce (Article to follow ASAP)

Since around 2016, China has been developing social media and e-commerce platforms faster than anywhere else, which has led to social media and e-commerce becoming a single platform, e.g. WeChat, TikTok, etc.

Most/all international social media and e-commerce platforms are blocked in China. If you wish to talk and sell to the Chinese consumer market, you must be part of one or more platforms.

Access to these platforms is restricted for overseas people and businesses.

14. Emailing in China

Emailing in China, like in the rest of the world, is not the primary tool for communication. WeChat has replaced most emails since its launch in January 2011.

While most emails are encrypted end-to-end in transmission, they are usually not stored as encrypted files on servers or your mobile / PC. This leaves email vulnerable to hacking and being available to government agents worldwide.

Our recommendations will enable your business to access your email in China while maintaining a higher level of security.

15. Messaging in China

Messaging has many of the same problems as emailing in China.

We recommended opening a WeChat account for yourself or your business (creating a personal WeChat account is a more straightforward setup). Most Chinese businesses and staff use WeChat as their primary communication tool.

For example, when emailing in China, please remember to respect Chinese rules and regulations on messaging content.

16. APIs in China (Article to follow ASAP)

Mobile APIs were popular in China, so many mobile operating systems reached the limit on the number of APIs allowed. The WeChat platform, launched in January 2011, addressed this issue by allowing you to run APIs within the WeChat platform.

Today, APIs in China are often written as WeChat programs. By doing so, your API becomes part of WeChat's social media.

Today, APIs are used widely in China.

17. Up-to-date internet content

Determine what platform and channels you will use for public business information in the Chinese market: at minimum, set up a WeChat account.

Determine responsibility for maintaining this information.

Ensure the Chinese plans contain the time to update any information needed for the Chinese market.

18. Performance upgrades

Change recommendations to your website to enable your business to be seen in China.

While recommendations have been written to improve website performance in China, many apply to improving website performance anywhere in the world.

Please start by checking if your website is visible in China.

last modified: Version 2.5 - November 2024

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Being seen on the internet China

Being found on the internet in China

Many tools and services on the Chinese internet can help Chinese businesses and people find websites.

The structure of the Chinese internet has the same components as the rest of the world, e.g. search engines, social media, etc. Like the rest of the world, you can invest time and resources in promoting your business on the Chinese internet.

This information is the minimum needed to start getting your business found on the Chinese internet.

Summary of ‘Being Found in Seen in China’ articles

1. Chinese internet identity

While your Chinese online identity offers can give you a significant advantage by themselves, your good management greatly helps them succeed.

Your trademark(s), brand in this case, is available in China. i.e., A Chinese / international business has not already registered your trademark in China

Your trademarks, i.e., brand, product names, etc, are known in the international / Chinese market.

Appropriate domains, social media, etc., and names are available.

Your brand/product name does not have an appropriate meaning/translation in spoken or written Chinese. For example, Google had this problem in China. The English pronouncement of Google in Chinese means “rice framer”.

2. Chinese Intellectual property rights

Politicians, the press, and businesses worldwide have spoken and written extensively about the problems with intellectual property rights in China.

China has many issues with international intellectual property rights and their enforcement.

If your trademark/copyright is agreed upon and registered in China, a dispute over a trademark can often be resolved with a letter from a local Chinese solicitor. No business or Chinese person wishes to be seen breaking Chinese rules and regulations.

If you do not register your trademark in China, you could spend years in the Chinese legal system trying to block the use of your trademark. If you have registered your trademark and there is an infringement, it is usually resolved after a letter from a Chinese-based solicitor.

We strongly recommend you protect your trademark in China using the local Chinese rules and regulations.

3. Chinese product licensing

Outside China, we call this “Product Certification,” enforced by the “Trading Standard” office. In English translations, this is called “Product Licensing.”

A Chinese product license is usually not required for products sold directly to a consumer from overseas as these are “one-off” product sales. An example of an exception to this rule is electrical goods. The certification standard for electrical goods is CCC. Most international electrical goods already have this certification.

Like any country's Customs, China will inspect and seize goods that do not meet local standards. However, this does not often happen to goods sold directly to consumers from an overseas company.

The central point to consider is whether the product is sold directly by a Chinese business, e.g., a wholesaler, retailer, or Chinese online store. Local Product Licensing must be in place.

Many products in China do not require product licensing. To help the Chinese authorities and local retailers understand your products, make your testing certification, e.g., EU certification, available online.

4. Chinese Internet publishing options

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.

5. Chinese search engines

Historicity, led by Baidu, the Chinese search engines have successfully dominated the internet in China.

Changes are happening in the use of search engines in China and worldwide.

Starting in China, Baidu, while still the most used search engine in China, has experienced a significant drop in market share over the last three years.

Bing applies the Chinese rules and regulations, e.g., some content is not listed, allowing search engines to be available in China.

6. Chinese search engine SEO, local and international

This article is a beginner’s guide to Chinese search engine optimisation (SEO). You may require local Chinese support as you learn more and want to increase your internet content rankings.

There are four Chinese Search Engines and two overseas search engines, and you should aim to get a high ranking in the Chinese market.

7. Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent (BAT)

In general, the giant BAT companies' internet business profiles work like those of Google, Microsoft, Amazon, etc.

The BAT companies are estimated to directly or indirectly control over 70% of the internet business and transactions in China.

There is a significant difference between how businesses approach the Chinese Internet and the rest of the world. Most Chinese companies are part of an existing B2B or social media platform and do not have a business website.

8. Your website outside China

Only 25% of foreign internet sites can be seen in China, 20% take over 20 seconds to open, and 55% cannot be seen at all.

There is a very high probability that your internet site cannot be seen in China.

For Chinese businesses, there is no simple way to find overseas products and services;

Like most businesses worldwide, Chinese companies start their search for products and services on the Internet.

9. Chinese e-Commerce

Chinese e-Commerce has been very successful over the last 10 years.

Most Chinese people make e-commerce purchases daily, and China's physical size has driven this growth. Before e-commerce, many towns and cities in China had limited product and service supplies based on their region's availability. Now, Chinese consumers have access to products and services supplied nationally and internationally.

The e-Commerce market has driven down consumer prices over an extensive range of products and services.

10. e-Commerce from outside China

There are great success stories of overseas companies selling directly to the end consumer.

We offer the following approach for SMEs entering the Chinese consumer market.

Our recommendation is based on a business that wishes to enter the Chinese consumer market without high costs/risk. The offset to this is that your margins will be lower, but they could match the margins you achieve in your local market. The opportunity is increased turnover in the world’s largest market at low risk.

This approach is for overseas companies that own the products and can supply the Chinese e-mall reseller at wholesale prices.

11. Chinese e-Commerce third party vs website

There is a significant difference in the way the Chinese approach internet services.

Outside China, internet services have grown through businesses publishing their websites. Today, working alongside the business websites, there is a growing use of e-Malls department store websites, such as Amazon, eBay, etc.

Inside China, the use of e-Malls department stores started with Alibaba (B2B marketing) and then China Amazon, Taobao, JDbuy (360buy), TMall, etc. (B2C).

last modified: Version 2.1 - March 2025

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Being seen on the internet China

Trade inside China on the Internet

I have access to China and its staff, having traded in China for over 20 years and running local and international businesses.

The topics below do not cover all aspects of trading inside China on the Chinese internet. They are subjects on which Access to China has working practical experience.

Our recommendation: There are many options available when trading inside China. Please make your goals clear before making the significant investment needed, e.g.

Running a business inside China vs remaining as a foreign business

Summary of ‘Starting trading in China’ articles

1. Routes to the Chinese markets

There are different trading methods for Chinese businesses (B2B) and Chinese consumers (B2C) within China and in your local market, either over the Internet or with visitors from China.

Before you start, look at your business and product/service branding in China. If your business branding is not registered in China, we recommend you correct this ASAP. Another Chinese or overseas company can undermine all your Chinese marketing by registering your business brand(s) in China and reproducing your products /services locally.

2. Creating a Chinese Company

Before creating a Chinese company in mainland China, ensure you fully understand whether you need to do this.

Examples of why you might need a Chinese business:

Production costs are cheaper in China
Chinese government grants available
Local Chinese investment available
Local Chinese overseas branded services – e.g., coffee shop chain
You wish to sell directly to businesses/consumers from within China
Chinese government licensing is only available if you have a Chinese company, e.g., ICP certification

You do not need a Chinese business if you are selling into China from a business or e-commerce site outside mainland China, e.g., Hong Kong, the USA, the UK, etc.

3. Transfer money to and from China

Points covered;

Can Chinese citizens take / transfer money overseas?

Purchasing goods from China

Purchasing goods from overseas countries

Purchasing of service from China

Purchasing of services from overseas

Transferring monies

4. Chinese payment gateways

All countries have rules and regulations on which payment methods can be used and when. To that end, China has its own rules and regulations and will not allow a Chinese business to operate payment processes on non-Chinese approved systems. This applies to all Internet transactions processed on servers/clouds/data centres in China. All payments made in China must be to a Chinese bank account.

An overseas business needs access to some parts of these payment gateways to trade widely and successfully with Chinese people and businesses. “If you cannot take a payment, you cannot process an order.”

China has very successful payment processing systems and a gateway for day-to-day trading.

5. Business to Business (B2B)

Face-to-face trading has been the traditional way of doing business in China for the last 50 years. Today, the internet is essential in identifying potential suppliers. The key issue is that few foreign websites can be found in China.

The standard process is to price the export to China as FOB (Freight on Board).

The shipping costs and management of imported goods in China are the responsibility of the Chinese business. This will include the shipping costs, import duties, shipping insurance, local Chinese transport costs, etc., and local certification (if required)

6. Business to consumer (B2C)

The Internet has allowed the development of the Business-to-consumer market in China.

Selling online on a Chinese-hosted internet site requires certification, only available to a Chinese business.

Any product sold on a Chinese internet site is subject to Chinese rules and regulations.

Products sold on internet sites outside China to a Chinese consumer are not subject to Chinese rules and regulations.

Products imported to China are subject to duty and taxes

B2C purchases from foreign internet sites are not subject to Chinese product certification rules (i.e. overseas cosmetic products sold directly to a consumer do not require Chinese product certification).

7. ICP Internet Contents Provider

The company is issued an ICP license and ICP certification for internet content, such as domain names, apps, IP addresses, etc.

What types of ICP certification you can request will depend on your Chinese company's ICP license.

The certification process is for public internet content only. If content is for a company’s internal use and not accessible to the public, then certification is not required. Suppose a domain name is used to access the company’s information online. In that case, the domain name may need ICP certification, even if it is only a login screen.

8. Shipping to the Chinese Consumer

Shipping goods to China is not as well established as shipping goods from China. The exception is the services offered by the Chinese e-Malls, i.e., TMall, Taobao, JDbuy, etc.

Once the goods arrive at the clearing centre in China, the consumer can track the shipment process on their mobile apps.

When purchasing international goods, the typical delivery time on the e-Mall sites is 15 days.

9. Success trading in China

Access to China and its directors have worked and traded in China for over twenty years. We have manufactured, imported, and exported to China during this time. While Access to China mainly focuses on IT services, we still help Chinese source products and services from overseas companies.

There are many books and websites dedicated to the subject of successfully trading with/within China.

We wish to add a few pointers to trading with the Chinese markets.

last modified:v 2.1 - March 2025