When traveling to China, one of the first things many people struggle with is the internet environment. If you try to use your smartphone in the same way as you would in Japan or Western countries, you may suddenly find that services such as Google, Instagram, LINE, and YouTube are either unavailable or extremely unstable. This is due to internet regulations in China, commonly referred to as the “Great Firewall.” For this reason, it is extremely important to prepare your internet setup before traveling to China. If you try to deal with it after arrival, there are cases where you cannot even download apps, leaving you unable to do anything. In this article, based on the latest situation as of 2026, we will explain in detail how travelers should prepare their internet environment.
1.Basic Internet Conditions in China
Within China, many overseas services are restricted.
Typical examples include: Google Search, Gmail: Not available
Instagram, X (formerly Twitter): Not available
YouTube: Not available
LINE: Unstable or unavailable On the other hand, within China, services such as WeChat, Alipay, and Baidu are widely used as infrastructure. However, for travelers, it is difficult to suddenly download and adapt to Chinese services. Therefore, this article focuses on how much you can continue using the services you normally use.
2.Three Ways to Use the Internet in China
There are mainly three ways to access the internet in China:
1. International roaming
This method uses your home carrier’s network as it is. If you are using a carrier that offers free international roaming, such as ahamo, you can use it in China as is. It is the easiest method, but if roaming is not free, the cost can be very high, so it is not recommended.
2. SIM card or If your smartphone supports eSIM, this is the most suitable method.
In recent years, global eSIMs that support China have become widely available and are very easy for travelers to use.
These eSIMs use local networks while still allowing access to services such as YouTube and Instagram in the same way as usual. Since it can be difficult to obtain SIM cards locally in China, it is important to purchase and set up your eSIM before departure.
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For physical SIM cards, using a Hong Kong SIM has long been a common method. If you purchase one in advance and insert it after arrival, you can use the internet in mainland China as usual.
3. Using a VPN
By using a VPN, you can route your connection through servers outside China and access your usual apps and services. However, among many VPN services, some are not stable (especially free ones). Also, after arriving in China, you may not be able to download the VPN app itself. Therefore, it is important to subscribe to a reliable service and install the app in advance. (Recommended VPN → affiliate link)
Common Mistakes Most problems during travel to China are caused by lack of preparation.
For example:
Trying to buy a SIM card locally and failing to set it up Not installing a VPN in advance and being unable to use anything Not realizing your smartphone does not support eSIM All of these can be prevented by checking before departure. No matter which method you choose, preparing in advance will greatly reduce stress during your stay in China. To make your trip smooth and comfortable, internet setup should be treated as a top prior
