+86 Country Code: China Dialing Guide

+86 is the country code for China. Whether you're calling Beijing, Shanghai, or a Chinese mobile phone, you'll dial +86 followed by the area code and local number. Here's everything you need to format the call correctly.

What Country Code is 86?

+86 is China's country code, assigned by the International Telecommunication Union. It covers all of mainland China—over 1.4 billion people.

A few notes on what +86 doesn't cover:

Hong Kong uses +852
Macau uses +853
Taiwan uses +886

If you're dialing any of those, you'll need the different code.

How to Dial a Chinese Phone Number

From the US, dial 011 + 86 + area code + local number. On a mobile phone, you can replace 011 with the + symbol.

Step by step:

Dial your exit code (011 from US, or just +)
Dial 86 (China's country code)
Dial the area code (drop any leading 0)
Dial the local number

Example: To call a Beijing landline (10) 8888-7777:

From US landline: 011-86-10-8888-7777
From US mobile: +86 10 8888 7777

That's it.

Chinese Area Codes

Beijing is 10, Shanghai is 21, Guangzhou is 20, Shenzhen is 755. Major Chinese cities use 2-digit area codes followed by 8-digit local numbers.

City	Area Code	Full Format
Beijing	10	+86 10 XXXX XXXX
Shanghai	21	+86 21 XXXX XXXX
Guangzhou	20	+86 20 XXXX XXXX
Shenzhen	755	+86 755 XXX XXXX
Chengdu	28	+86 28 XXXX XXXX
Xi'an	29	+86 29 XXXX XXXX

Smaller cities may use 3-digit area codes with 7-digit local numbers. When dialing internationally, always drop the domestic trunk prefix (0) that Chinese callers use locally.

Chinese Mobile Number Format

Chinese mobile numbers have 11 digits and always start with 1. You don't need an area code—just dial +86 followed by all 11 digits.

Format: +86 1XX XXXX XXXX

The first three digits indicate the carrier and service type:

13X, 15X, 18X — Standard mobile numbers
14X — Data/IoT devices
17X, 19X — Newer allocations

Example: To call a Chinese mobile number 138-1234-5678:

Dial: +86 138 1234 5678

Mobile numbers work the same regardless of which city the person is in.

China Time Zone

China is 12-13 hours ahead of US Eastern Time. The country uses a single time zone (UTC+8) despite spanning five geographical zones.

During US Standard Time: China is 13 hours ahead
During US Daylight Saving Time: China is 12 hours ahead

What this means for calling:

9 AM in New York = 10 PM in Beijing (same day)
5 PM in New York = 6 AM in Beijing (next day)

If you're calling Chinese business hours (9 AM - 6 PM Beijing time), that's 8 PM - 5 AM Eastern during winter, or 9 PM - 6 AM Eastern during summer. Late nights or early mornings for US callers.

Calling the US from China

To call the US from China, dial 00 + 1 + area code + number. On a mobile phone, just use +1.

Example: To call a New York number (212) 555-1234 from China:

From Chinese landline: 00-1-212-555-1234
From mobile in China: +1 212 555 1234

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I keep getting spam calls from +86 numbers?

Because spoofing a +86 caller ID is cheap and many automated scam systems originate or relay through Chinese mobile ranges. Common scams claim to be from the Chinese consulate, DHL customs, or "Chinese police" demanding payment to clear a fake legal matter. The real Chinese consulate does not cold-call US residents. Block the number on your phone (iOS: tap the i icon, then "Block this Caller") and report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. If you have no business with anyone in China, set your phone to silence unknown +86 callers automatically.

Will Hong Kong or Taiwan numbers connect if I dial +86?

No. Hong Kong uses +852, Macau uses +853, and Taiwan uses +886. Dialing +86 reaches only mainland China. The three regions maintain separate telecom systems despite the political relationships, so a Hong Kong landline at +852 2XXX XXXX won't pick up if you dial +86 21 (Shanghai). Taiwan numbers use a similar 8-digit format to mainland but route through completely different infrastructure. Save international contacts with the full country code so your phone doesn't silently route to the wrong destination.

Are Chinese mobile numbers all 11 digits and starting with 1?

Yes. Every Chinese mobile number is 11 digits long and begins with 1. The next two digits identify the carrier and service type: 13, 15, 18 are standard mobile (China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom); 14 is IoT and data SIMs; 17 and 19 are newer allocations. Landlines have a different format — a 2 or 3-digit city area code followed by a 7 or 8-digit local number. If someone gives you a 10-digit "mobile" or 13-digit number with a +86 prefix, it's incorrectly formatted; ask them to confirm.

Does WeChat replace regular phone calls for reaching people in China?

For personal contacts, mostly yes. WeChat voice and video calls between two app users are free, work over WiFi or Chinese cellular data, and don't hit the Great Firewall the way many foreign apps do. WeChat is functionally the default communication tool inside China. For institutions — Chinese banks, government offices, hotels, customer service lines — you still need regular PSTN dialing with +86. WhatsApp, Signal, FaceTime, and Telegram are all blocked or unreliable in mainland China without a VPN.

Is VoIP reliable for calling US numbers from inside mainland China?

Honestly, it's a coin flip. Every VoIP service operating in mainland China runs into Great Firewall throttling or selective blocking, including Skype's replacement on Teams, Google Voice, Yolla, Rebtel, and browser-based services. Some calls connect cleanly; others drop after 30 seconds or never ring through. Performance varies by city, time of day, and which Chinese ISP you're on. A reliable workaround is a paid commercial VPN (not the free ones) routed through Hong Kong or Singapore before placing the call. For business-critical calls, plan a backup method.