Since 2019, the Chinese government waged an aggressive campaign to restrict digital freedom, and despite its reputation for privacy and security, Proton VPN remains one of Beijing’s primary targets. So, does Proton VPN work in China?
China’s “Great Firewall” uses a sophisticated arsenal of censorship tools, from Domain Name System (DNS) filtering and IP blocking to deep packet inspection, to monitor and restrict access to foreign websites.
According to Proton VPN, “the Chinese government uses these tools to detect and block VPN servers,” making it difficult for users to access the open internet. The service confirmed that while its network “at least sometimes works in China,” it cannot guarantee consistent access on the mainland.
For users in Hong Kong, however, the VPN still functions. As of September 18, 2019, Proton VPN was officially blacklisted by Chinese authorities. The proton VPN not working website remains inaccessible from within China, and purchasing a subscription there is virtually impossible.
Despite ongoing efforts to develop countermeasures, “you’re unlikely to connect to any of its servers from China,” several Proton VPN China customer support representatives confirmed.
Is It Illegal to Use A VPN In China?
While using a VPN with China in compliance to its government still exists in a legal gray area, Beijing still enforces strict controls on which providers can operate. Only state-approved VPNs — those that agree to government monitoring — are officially permitted.
Does express VPN work in China?
Unauthorized VPNs, like Proton VPN won’t connect, as well as ExpressVPN, which are routinely blocked.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) requires all of the best VPN for China providers to register with authorities. Use of an unregistered VPN can lead to fines or, in some cases, criminal prosecution. Most of the population and visitors, however, continue trying to circumvent regulations for work, study, or communication.
Use of an unregistered free VPN for use in China can lead to fines or, in some cases, criminal prosecution. Many residents and visitors, however, continue to try to circumvent restrictions for work, research, or communication.
How to bypass China firewall?
China’s firewall is constantly evolving, and the system detects VPN traffic through deep packet inspection — technology that allows it to differentiate encrypted VPN data from standard internet traffic.
Does Proton VPN work in China?
“Despite Proton VPN featuring obfuscation technology designed to disguise VPN traffic,” the company admitted, “the restrictions in China are particularly stringent.”
Can You Use Proton VPN In China?
In 2025, Proton VPN connection issues remain largely ineffective in mainland China. Independent tests and official support responses agree: “It doesn’t work in China.”
Even the VPN’s “Stealth” protocol — designed to mimic regular HTTPS traffic — has limited success against Beijing’s ever-tightening digital controls.
Users who still want to try may resort to complex methods, such as Tor bridges or unlisted Tor servers, which use “pluggable transports” to mask internet traffic. But as Proton warns, “Tor tends to be much slower than a VPN and isn’t ideal for streaming or real-time communication.”
Despite these challenges, does Proton VPN work in China?
Proton VPN continues to rank among the top global VPNs for privacy and transparency. Its audited no-logs policy and “Secure Core” servers ensure user data stays protected — just not always accessible from behind the world’s most formidable firewall.
Inside Telecom provides you with an extensive list of content covering all aspects of the tech industry. Keep an eye on our Cybersecurity sections to stay informed and up-to-date with our daily articles.