China Country Code +86
Mainland China uses the international country code +86. With over a billion mobile subscriptions and dense fixed networks in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, understanding how +86 numbers are structured is essential for global trade, manufacturing, sourcing, tech and travel.
Landlines combine a 2–4 digit area code med en 7–8 digit local number, while mobile numbers are 11 digits starting with 1 (13x / 14x / 15x / 16x / 17x / 18x / 19x). From abroad you call your international access code (such as 00 or 011), then 86, then the area or mobile prefix and the subscriber number. Inside China, long-distance fixed calls usually require a leading 0 trunk prefix.
Beijing landline (intl.)
+86 10 8765 4321
10 is the area code for Beijing – dialled with trunk 0 inside China (010).
Mobil eksempel
+86 138 0123 4567
Mobiles are always 11 digits starting with 1 (13x / 14x / 15x / 16x / 17x / 18x / 19x).
Tid og sommertid
UTC+8 · no DST
Single nationwide time zone: China Standard Time / Beijing Time, all year.
Overview – where +86 is used
In international telecoms, the country code +86 identifiserer mainland China. It covers everything from factories in Guangdong and logistics hubs in Shenzhen and Ningbo to tech companies in Beijing, financial institutions in Shanghai and small businesses across inland provinces.
Mainland China uses a variable-length fixed-line system plus a large, standardised mobile system. Fixed numbers have a 2–4 digit area code og a 7–8 digit local number. Mobile numbers are 11 digits, starting with 1, and are heavily used for WeChat, SMS one-time passwords, delivery updates, ride-hailing and e-commerce.
This page focuses on mainland +86 numbers. In telecommunications, Hong Kong (+852), Macau (+853) and Taiwan (+886) use separate country codes and numbering plans, even though in many travel or business contexts they are grouped together under a broader “China / Greater China” label.
Typical users of +86 numbers
- Export manufacturers & suppliers sharing +86 contacts on PI/PO documents, Alibaba listings, trade show catalogues and sourcing platforms.
- Tech, logistics & finance in Tier-1 cities using landlines for offices and mobiles for operations, last-mile delivery and trading desks.
- Domestic consumers who rely on +86 mobiles to log in to apps, receive banking codes and verify identity across digital platforms.
When onboarding suppliers or customers, always record the full +86 number (including area or mobile prefix) to avoid problems with SMS delivery and international callbacks.
China phone number formats (+86)
Landlines: +86–area–local · Mobiles: +86–1xx–xxxx–xxxxMain types of +86 numbers:
- • Fixed-line (landline) – area code (2–4 digits) + local subscriber number (7–8 digits).
- • Mobil – always 11 digits, starting with 1 and then a 2-digit operator/service prefix (13x, 14x, 15x, 16x, 17x, 18x, 19x).
- • Special numbers – short codes (110, 119, 120, 122), nationwide customer service numbers (400 / 800) and IoT / data SIM ranges.
Inside China, the stammeprefiks 0 is used for fixed-line long-distance calls between different area codes. When dialling from abroad you fjern 0 and prepend +86 instead. Mobile numbers do not use a trunk prefix.
Eksempelformater
Kun illustrerendeArea code 21 (Shanghai) + 7-digit local number. Dialled as 021-6123-4567 within China.
Guangzhou uses area code 20. Domestic long-distance: 020-8234-5678; local: 8234-5678.
150 is one of many mobile prefixes. Mobile numbers are not tied to a city code and work across China.
How to dial China (+86) numbers
1. Fra USA eller Canada
To call China from North America you use the international access code 011, followed by the country code and the local number (without domestic trunk 0).
- Slå 011 – utgangskode fra USA/Canada.
- Slå 86 – country code for China.
- Dial the area code (without 0) + local number, or dial the 11-digit mobile.
Eksempel: 011 86 10 8765 4321 – New York → Beijing landline.
2. Fra Storbritannia og det meste av Europa
In many European countries the international prefix is 00. The pattern is otherwise the same.
- Slå 00 – internasjonal tilgangskode.
- Slå 86 – China country code.
- Dial area code (no 0) + local number, or full 11-digit mobile.
Eksempel: 0086 21 6123 4567 – London → Shanghai office.
3. From inside China
- Lokal fasttelefon (samme by): dial the local number only (e.g. 8765 4321 in Beijing).
- Langdistanse fasttelefon: slå 0 + area code + local number (e.g. 021 6123 4567 to Shanghai).
- Enhver mobil: dial the full 11-digit number (no area code, no leading 0).
- From China to other countries: slå 00 + country code + area code + number.
Example: 00-852-xxxx-xxxx to call Hong Kong, 00-1-xxx-xxx-xxxx to call the US.
Time in China – China Standard Time (UTC+8)
All of mainland China uses a single official time zone: China Standard Time (CST), also called Beijing Time, which is UTC+8. This applies from the east coast (Shanghai, Guangzhou) to far-western regions such as Xinjiang, even though the country spans multiple natural time zones.
China has not used daylight saving time since the early 1990s. There are no clock changes during the year, so the offset remains UTC+8 in every season. In practice this makes recurring calls and calendar invites simpler: if you store China meetings as “UTC+8” they will stay correct.
For forretningssamtaler er et vanlig vindu 09:00–18:00 China time, Monday to Friday. Many factories and logistics teams also answer phones on Saturdays, particularly in export-oriented regions.
Approximate time differences vs Beijing
| By | Sone | Forskjell |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong / Singapore | UTC+8 | Same clock time as Beijing |
| Dubai | UTC+4 | China is +4h ahead |
| London | UTC / UTC+1 | China is +8h in winter, +7h in summer |
| New York | UTC-5 / UTC-4 | China is +13h in winter, +12h in summer |
When you schedule calls, label them “China Standard Time (UTC+8)” so colleagues and customers can align easily in their own calendars.
Emergency numbers in mainland China
Mainland China uses short 3-digit emergency numbers. The most important one to remember is 110, which is handled by the public security bureau and in many cities also coordinates other emergency services.
Politi
110
Main number for police and public security; in some cities also forwards other emergencies.
Ild
119
Fire brigade / rescue. Call 119 directly in case of building or industrial fires.
Ambulanse
120
Medical emergency and ambulance dispatch; in major cities some private ambulance networks also exist.
Traffic
122
Used to report traffic accidents; on some expressways, 12122 is used for highway support.
110, 119 and 120 are typically free to call from landlines and local mobile phones. Users of foreign SIM cards roaming in China can usually call these numbers directly, or by dialling +86 110 / +86 119 / +86 120 where supported. For consular help, contact your embassy or consulate at the emergency number published on its official website.
Example: calling +86 numbers in practice
US → Beijing office landline
Office number shown as +86 10 8765 4321.
- Slå 011 (USA utgangskode).
- Slå 86.
- Slå 10 8765 4321.
Siste sekvens: 011 86 10 8765 4321
UK → China mobile (supplier)
Supplier shares mobile as +86 138 0123 4567.
- Slå 00 (UK internasjonalt prefiks).
- Slå 86.
- Slå 138 0123 4567.
Siste sekvens: 0086 138 0123 4567
Germany → Shanghai customer service (400)
Support number on a Chinese website: 400 800 1234.
- Try 0086 400 800 1234.
- If it does not connect, the 400 number may be domestic only; request a standard landline or mobile alternative, such as +86 21… or +86 13x…
Many 400/800 numbers are intended for callers within mainland China only.
China country code +86 – FAQ
Is +86 used for Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan?
No. In telecom terms, +86 is for mainland China. Hong Kong uses +852, Macau uses +853, and Taiwan uses +886. When dialling from mainland China you still treat them as international destinations (00 + 852/853/886 + number), even though they may appear together with China in broader business or travel discussions.
Why do some Chinese numbers start with 0?
De 0 is a domestic trunk prefix used for fixed-line long-distance calls inside China (for example, 010 for Beijing or 021 for Shanghai). When dialling from abroad you remove this 0 and insert +86 in front: 010-8765-4321 becomes +86-10-8765-4321.
How many digits does a China mobile number have?
Standard mainland mobile numbers have 11 digits after the +86 country code and always begin with 1. Examples: 13x-xxxx-xxxx, 15x-xxxx-xxxx, 17x-xxxx-xxxx, 18x-xxxx-xxxx, 19x-xxxx-xxxx. These numbers are not tied to a specific city area code.
Does China use daylight saving time?
No. Mainland China stays on China Standard Time (UTC+8) all year. If your location changes clocks for summer/winter, the time difference with China will shift accordingly, but local China time does not change.
Are WeChat and other apps tied to +86 numbers?
In practice, yes. Most Chinese users register WeChat, Alipay, Taobao, Didi and many other platforms with a +86 mobile number. Using the correct international format (+86 1xx….) improves your chance that SMS codes and app invites reach the recipient correctly.
Can I dial 112 or 911 in China?
112 and 911 are not official emergency numbers in mainland China. Some networks may play a recorded message pointing you to 110, 119, 120 or 122, but you should not rely on that. When in China, save the correct local emergency numbers and use them directly.
Download the China dialing cheat sheet (+86)
Keep a one-page PDF with +86 formats, Beijing/Shanghai area codes, 11-digit mobile structure, UTC+8 offsets and emergency numbers 110 / 119 / 120 / 122 – ideal for sourcing teams, call centres and logistics operations.