VPN services operating in the China

The capability of a VPN to operate successfully in mainland China is the single most challenging technical test for any VPN service globally. The country’s sophisticated internet filtering and censorship system, known as the Great Firewall (GFW), actively targets and blocks unauthorized VPN traffic.

Legal Status: Banned for Unlicensed Use

Official Stance: Only VPN services that are explicitly licensed and approved by the Chinese government are legal. These services, however, must comply with local regulations, which generally require them to provide authorities with full access to user data and logs.
Unauthorized VPNs: The vast majority of international, privacy-focused VPNs are considered illegal. While the government primarily targets the providers of these services, the use of unauthorized VPNs carries a legal risk for individuals and can result in warnings, fines, or seizure of equipment.

Technical Capability: The Battle of Obfuscation

The GFW employs advanced methods to detect and disrupt unauthorized VPN connections, requiring specialized technology to bypass:

Challenge	GFW Method	Required VPN Capability
Detection	Deep Packet Inspection (DPI): Analyzes data packets to identify the signature patterns of standard VPN protocols (like OpenVPN).	Obfuscation / Stealth Mode: The VPN must disguise its traffic to look identical to normal, unencrypted HTTPS web traffic, making it impossible for DPI to block without also blocking essential websites (like banks).
Blocking	IP Blocking: Maintains massive blacklists of known VPN server IP addresses and blocks them instantly upon detection.	High IP Rotation: The VPN must have a large, rapidly updating pool of IP addresses to use when an old one is blocked, ensuring continuous connectivity.
Access	Website Blocking: The websites of nearly all premium VPN providers are blocked inside China.	Critical Preparation: The user must download, install, and configure the VPN software before entering China, as it will be impossible to do so once inside.

Operational Reality

Inconsistent Reliability: Even the best, most expensive VPNs with strong obfuscation features cannot guarantee 100% uptime. Cracks in the GFW are constantly being exploited and sealed. Users must be prepared for temporary service interruptions.
Protocol Choice: Successful operation often relies on switching to specific proprietary protocols rather than standard protocols.
Security Risk: Using a free VPN in China is highly discouraged. Free services rarely have the technology to bypass the GFW and often pose a security risk due to poor encryption or data logging.

In Summary: The capability of a VPN in China is severely restricted and requires constant adaptation. Only premium, privacy-focused VPNs that offer advanced obfuscation technology have a chance of reliably bypassing the Great Firewall. Crucially, due to app and website blocking, all installation and configuration must be done before arriving in mainland China.