China
Select a data plan
Loading available plans for this destination.
What's included
Coverage areas
Network partners
How to activate
Get connected in under 5 minutes.
Purchase your plan
Select your preferred data package and complete the secure checkout process.
Receive QR code
Get your eSIM QR code instantly by email after purchase confirmation.
Scan and activate
Open phone settings, scan the QR code, and start using data immediately.
Buy a China eSIM Online
With an Ariya Mobile China eSIM you get mobile internet the moment you arrive — no physical SIM card and no hassle at the airport. Buy online, receive your QR code instantly by email and scan it to activate. Ideal for travel, work and everyday use in China.
The eSIM connects to reliable local networks in and around major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Hangzhou — handy for visiting family, holidays and everyday use.
Coverage & networks
The China eSIM connects to reliable local networks for stable 4G/5G internet in cities and popular destinations.
Instant delivery
After payment you receive your eSIM QR code straight away by email and in your Ariya account. No waiting and no shipping.
Easy activation
Scan the QR code, add the eSIM in your settings and turn on data roaming on arrival. Ready in a few minutes.
Mobile internet, 4G and 5G in China
China has three mobile operators: China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom. On the size of the Chinese 5G network, the ministry MIIT publishes figures that the trade press reports: 4,486,000 5G base stations at the end of May 2025, 235,000 of them added in the first five months of the year, which puts 5G at 35.3% of all mobile base stations in the country. By the end of November 2024, 5G mobile phone subscriptions had passed one billion — 56% of all mobile subscriptions, at a population penetration above 71%. 5G-A networks are running in more than 300 cities according to the same reporting.
What we do not add is a national 4G coverage percentage. MIIT's own site was unreachable for us and no Chinese government source publishing such a figure could be consulted, so we quote none. The numbers above are MIIT's, as the trade press relays them: a sense of how big the network is, not a promise about the spot you will be standing in. We also leave out the 2027 targets that appear in those same articles — they are plans, not results.
Roaming in China without an eSIM
China is outside the EU and the EEA, so 'Roam Like at Home' does not apply. That arrangement covers the EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, along with Moldova and Ukraine, and China is not among them. Your Belgian or Dutch bundle therefore stays behind: your operator bills every megabyte at its own out-of-bundle roaming tariff, without the EU price caps that apply inside the zone. On a trip to China that weighs heavier than on a weekend across the border, because data is exactly what you lean on there — maps, translation apps, train times, hailing a taxi. The European Commission advises checking that tariff with your provider before you go.
What the Dutch government says about the internet in China
Its travel advice for China is unambiguous: some internet services are permanently blocked there, and it names them — Google, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, X, and many Dutch and international news media. That is a statement about China, not about a SIM card or an eSIM, and we pass it on as exactly that. We do not claim our product makes those services reachable. What we do is put it in front of you before you book, so you can agree at home which channel you will stay in touch on and which apps you want installed before you leave.
The same travel advice flags two more things worth knowing in advance. The authorities may inspect the messages on your phone or laptop on arrival and during your stay. And you must register within 24 hours of arriving: in a hotel the hotel does it automatically; staying elsewhere, you do it at a local police station or the Public Security Bureau, or online through the municipal websites of major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Note the distinction — that is a registration of you as a person, not of a SIM card.
Frequently asked questions
Does WhatsApp work in China?+
According to the Dutch government, no. Its travel advice for China states that some internet services are permanently blocked there, and names Google, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, X and many Dutch and international news media. That is a statement about China, not about a SIM card, and we do not claim our eSIM changes it. Agree with people at home before you fly which channel you will use to stay in touch.
Which mobile networks operate in China?+
China has three mobile operators: China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom. The Ariya eSIM connects to a local network — there is no operator for you to pick and nothing to arrange after you land.
Is there 5G in China?+
Yes, on a very large scale. China's MIIT reported 4,486,000 5G base stations at the end of May 2025, 235,000 of them added in the first five months of that year, putting 5G at 35.3% of all mobile base stations. By the end of November 2024, 5G mobile phone subscriptions had passed one billion, 56% of all mobile subscriptions. Those are MIIT figures as reported by the trade press; no national 4G coverage percentage could be obtained from any Chinese government source, so we quote none.
Does my Belgian or Dutch plan work in China?+
No. China sits outside the EU and EEA 'Roam Like at Home' area, so your domestic bundle does not travel with you. Your operator bills Chinese data at its own out-of-bundle roaming tariff, without the EU price caps. Ask what that costs before you fly — the European Commission gives travellers the same advice.
Does my phone support eSIM?+
Most recent smartphones (iPhone XS and newer, recent Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel) support eSIM. Check your settings for an 'Add eSIM' option.
When should I activate my China eSIM?+
Install the eSIM before departure over wifi, but only enable data roaming once you arrive in China, so your plan starts at the right time.
How do I receive my eSIM?+
Right after payment you receive the QR code by email and in your Ariya Mobile account. Remember to check your spam folder.
Can I top up my plan?+
Yes, simply buy a new China eSIM plan when your data or validity runs out.