How to Make a Phone Call to China

Enter the exit code of the country you live in. An exit code, also known as an international prefix code or an outbound calling code, is a number that allows you to call outside of the country you are in. Each country has a different exit code. For example, the US exit code is 011, the Nigerian exit code is 009, and the Vietnamese exit code is 00. ^[1]

• You can find the exit code by contacting your telecom company or by doing a quick internet search. You just need to type in the name of your country, followed by the “outbound call code” or “telephone exit code”.

Dial 86 to connect to China. This is the country code for China. Country codes are usually 1-3 digits. This code identifies the country you are calling from; Each country has a different code. ^[2]

Specify whether the phone number you want to call is landline or mobile. In China, mobile phone numbers have 11 digits (excluding exit codes and country codes), and always start with the number 1, while landline numbers are usually 6-8 digits (not counting). exit codes and country codes). ^[3]

• It’s important to know if the number you want to call is a landline number, as you won’t be dialing an area code when calling a mobile phone in China. ^[4]

Dial the mobile number to call. If you are calling from Vietnam to China, the number you need to dial will be something like: 00-86-155-5555-5555. 00 is the exit code, 86 is the area code, and 155 5555 5555 is the cell phone number.

Dial the area code or city code to call a landline. The area code will narrow down the specific area in China you are calling. ^[5]

• The area code of China has 2-4 digits. For example, the area code for Shanghai is 21, while the area code for Ganzhou is 0787.
• The Chinese government portal has completed a list of China’s area codes. You can view it at http://www.china.org.cn/english/MATERIAL/120745.htm

Dial the phone number followed by the area code to call a landline. For example, if you were calling a landline from Vietnam to Shanghai, you would call: 00-86-21-55-5555. 00 is the exit code, 86 is the country code, 21 is the area code for the city of Shanghai, and 55-5555 is the landline number.

Check local time. Although the territory of China spans across 5 geographically different time zones, the whole country uses only China Standard Time, also known as Beijing Time. China Standard Time is 8 hours ahead of GMT (GMT+8). That means if you call at 1pm in London (GMT), it’s 9pm in China. If you call at 1pm from Washington, DC (EDT), it will be 1am in China. Vietnam time is 1 hour behind China time. Be sure to check the local time before calling so you don’t call at an inconvenient time. ^[6]

• Many websites will allow you to check the current Chinese time; This is a great way to make sure to call at the right time. ^[7]

Consider purchasing an international calling card. You can buy these cards online or at convenience stores. These cards are usually cheaper than the carrier you’re using, and they’re prepaid, so you won’t be surprised when you receive unexpected high phone bill notices.