Does Netflix Work in China for Expats and Travelers
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Netflix is available in all countries of the world except China, North Korea and Syria. Netflix doesn’t currently offer video streaming services in China due to the country’s complex regulatory framework, although the company continues to explore options for providing the service. However, in many cases, VPN users can access the service.
How to watch American Netflix in China?
- Sign up to a VPN that can unblock Netflix in China
- Watch Netflix in China with a DNS
- Watch Netflix with Chinese subtitles
Each country is assigned a range of IP addresses for use by its citizens. Netflix uses an IP address to determine whether you should have access to its content of a particular region. If the IP address doesn’t match the IP address range of the licensed country, the streaming provider blocks access to the content.
The Chinese government is scrupulous about the content available to citizens. But the user can take advantage of a VPN, namely its ability to “change” the user’s location.
By selecting a VPN server in the United States, the user is redirected through this public server that has an IP address in the United States. This gives the impression that the user is located within the United States, despite their physical location in China.
Top 5 Services to Watch Netflix in China
Before leaving for China, you must purchase the service and download the application. Once you are in China, you won’t be able to find free VPNs for Netflix to download.
If you wish to watch US Netflix, use the server location on the West Coast. After selecting a server, open the site or Netflix application and start watching.
1. ExpressVPN
- All Netflix libraries
- One of the speediest VPNs
- Strict no-logs policy
- 256-bit AES encryption
- 24/7 live chat customer support
- No ad blocker, cost
- Netflix’s working regions (DNS) – US only
Verdict: If you are wondering can I watch downloaded Netflix in China, pay attention to ExpressVPN. It offers unlimited bandwidth for fast speeds and streaming of any number of videos. Their global network covers 3000+ servers in 160 locations in 94 countries, including Hong Kong.
ExpressVPN is probably the most well-known VPN in the world at the moment. It has servers in 160 locations and 94 countries, making it suitable for watching Netflix in China. Netflix’s working regions for VPN are the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
After exploring all the possibilities, you will find everything you need to watch videos for free in China. This award-winning VPN is available on Mac, iOS, Linux, Android, game consoles and Smart TV. Also, it boasts first-class security capabilities, such as AES-256 encryption, network emergency switch and TrustedServer technology. Users can connect up to five devices simultaneously with a single account.
2. NordVPN
- Access to 7 Netflix libraries
- Military-grade 256-bit encryption, ad blocker
- Huge number of available locations
- No bandwidth limits
- Cost with promotional offers
- Few servers in China
- Not all Netflix libraries are available
Verdict: It is another excellent VPN that works well with Netflix and offers many server options for China: 5,400 servers in 59 countries, including Hong Kong. You can use it as a backup of your VPNs for China if their server failed.
I suggest trying NordVPN due to a reliable connection, high speed, CyberSec technology to protect against malicious sites, and a dual VPN feature that takes security to a new level. NordVPN uses a 100% no registration policy.
Besides, it offers DNS leak protection and an automatic emergency switch. For Windows, it includes the option of obfuscation to bypass the Chinese blocking of VPNs. NordVPN supports up to 6 simultaneous connections.
3. SurfShark
- 15 Netflix libraries, Hong Kong serves
- Unlimited number of devices connected at once
- Ad blocker, CleanWeb, kill switch
- Strict no-logs policy, industry-leading encryption
- 24/7 support, cost
- Few servers in China
- Not all Netflix libraries are available
Verdict: SurfShark has 1700+ servers in 63 countries, so you can mask your location and give the impression that you are a few miles from home. Using the “No borders” setting in China, SurfShark allowed people to stream Netflix there without much trouble. If you want to surf the Internet safely and protect your bank account, any of their packages will come in handy.
SurfShark offers a multihop feature. This lets you set your IP address for multiple countries at the same time, so no one is tracking you using it. This VPN has a strict no-logs policy, and there is an automatic emergency switch. Camouflage mode hides any track of you browsing the net. Moreover, it allows you to connect an unlimited number of users to a single account at once. AES-256-GCM encryption will protect all devices.
4. VyprVPN
- Top-grade encryption/NAT Firewall
- Audited available no-log VPN
- Kill Switch, VyprVPN Cloud
- High-speed streaming
- 3-day free trial
- No live chat customer support
- Doesn’t offer DNS for Netflix
Verdict: Although there aren’t many server clusters (700+ VPN servers, including Hong Kong) available, VyprVPN, as a growing network, has developed a technology that helps fight censorship and keep the Internet free and open – the Chameleon VPN protocol. It is meant to help bypass restricted networks in any country trying to control Internet access.
Since VyprVPN comes without registration on its own pool of servers, no DNS requests are registered, which is definitely an advantage. Up to 5 simultaneous connections are currently offered. Their number may increase in the near future.
5. PureVPN
- Port forwarding, 10-multi logins
- Split Tunneling, dedicated IP
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Numerous protocols
- 7-day free trial
- Not the cheapest plan
- Hong Kong server declared, but it is hidden
Verdict: Here is another VPN that has secured the status of the best one in the industry. PureVPN is among the few that simplifies the entire process for those wondering can you watch Netflix in China. It offers dedicated and optimized servers for streaming.
It is headquartered in Hong Kong and has more than 2,000 servers in more than 180 locations in 140 countries. PureVPN is compatible with every Internet-enabled device. You get a 31-day money-back guarantee if you purchase any of the plans. There is also a live online support system that will help you solve technical problems.
Watch Netflix in China with a DNS
One more solution for those who have watching Netflix in China problems is to use SmartDNS. It is a technology supported by SurfShark and ExpressVPN that masks the actual location by redirecting requests from your domain name server (DNS) to a server in another country. Unlike a VPN, which focuses on protecting and encrypting data, SmartDNS is only useful for bypassing geographical restrictions.
SmartDNS makes Netflix think that you are watching it not from China but from another country. Since no encryption is used, SmartDNS transmits streams faster. The problem is that SmartDNS doesn’t help you access Facebook, YouTube, Gmail or other blocked websites in China. That’s why most people prefer to use a VPN.
It isn’t something that you can configure yourself. You will need to activate SmartDNS by contacting and registering your IP address with your VPN service. The service will provide you with a DNS server address that you can use to manually configure DNS settings on your device.
Since each service and each device are slightly different, contact your provider’s technical support and read more about changing addresses in the guide on how to encrypt Internet connection.
Watch Netflix with Chinese Subtitles
Netflix is launching a series of original shows in Mandarin but has no plans to launch them in China anytime soon. For now, its strategy for China is focused on attracting the Mandarin-speaking diaspora around the world. If Chinese is your native language or you watch Netflix with Chinese SO, Chinese subtitles can be very useful.
Chinese subtitles are available in the Netflix versions for Hong Kong and Taiwan. Both locations are supported by ExpressVPN. Not only do you get Chinese subtitles, but you also get faster streaming speeds on servers in Hong Kong and Taiwan (direct peering with China Telecom) compared to servers in the US. Support for multiple Netflix regions (including Asian countries) is one of the biggest advantages of premium VPN services.
F.A.Q.
- Why is China blocking Netflix?
Many of the films on Netflix have age-restricted content: drugs, violence, horror, sex, as well as cult-related content. This isn’t a problem in many Western countries because their rating systems are well-established and designed to protect children and teenagers from coming into contact with this content at an inappropriate age.
China doesn’t have rating systems for movies, TV shows, books or video games. It means that there is no classification of online content, because everything that is allowed to be posted on the Internet can be accessed by anyone. Neither Chinese parents nor the government wants Chinese children to accidentally (or intentionally) watch prohibited content. A simple solution before they develop rating systems is to block Netflix.
- Is it legal to use a VPN in China?
Partially. In China, the government has put a lot of effort into regulating Internet use with the Great Firewall. However, there is no clear law prohibiting you from using a VPN. Instead, the government described the cases when it isn’t allowed to use a VPN within the country:
- To commit cybercrime
- For trading on the Darknet: many illegal drugs and illegal weapons are bought and sold in the dark. This is an abuse of privacy and security features. China condemns the use of VPNs for such purposes;
- Cybercrime and cyberbullying of another person.
As long as you use a VPN for personal purposes, you shouldn’t have any problems with the law.
- Can I be blocked through a VPN?
One thing you need to be careful about in China is torrents. They will register the IP address that you use when connecting to the VPN and will block your account if they receive DCMA notifications coming from this IP address. They won’t share your information with anyone and will just block your VPN account. If you plan to download torrents and watch Netflix, then ExpressVPN is a good option. It enables using shared IP addresses at once and doesn’t keep activity logs.
