How to Watch Chinese TV in USA States & Abroad With a VPN in 2024: Watch Chinese TV From Anywhere
There’s a lot of Chinese TV content available in the USA, but some streaming sites may be restricted to those in China only. In this guide, we explain how to watch Chinese TV in USA states with a VPN if you find yourself thwarted by geoblocks.
Written by Kit Copson (Writer, Briefing Editor)
Reviewed by Sandra Pattison (Editor)
Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska (Lead Fact-Checking Editor)
Last Updated: 2024-01-29T21:04:36+00:00
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
Key Takeaways: Watch Chinese TV Anywhere
- You can watch Chinese-language content on Sling TV with its Mandarin, Cantonese or Taiwanese package. There are a multitude of free Chinese TV sites to watch Chinese content online, but some of these might be blocked outside China.
- If you want to access a blocked Chinese streaming site, you can use a VPN with Chinese servers.
- CyberGhost is the best VPN with Chinese servers, closely followed by Private Internet Access.
If you’re traveling outside of China, you might be having a hard time accessing your favorite Chinese TV sites due to geoblocking. There’s no need to miss out, though. Stay tuned while we explain how to watch Chinese TV in USA states and abroad with a VPN.
Many Chinese TV channels are available in the U.S. via streaming platforms like Sling TV. Likewise, you can easily access content on Chinese sites like Youku and Mango TV because these, and many others, don’t appear to enforce regional restrictions.
However, if you do find that a Chinese TV site you want to access is unavailable in the country you’re in, you can use a reputable VPN with Chinese servers, such as CyberGhost, to get around the restrictions. Read on to find out how to use a VPN to watch geoblocked Chinese content.
How to Watch Chinese TV in USA States: Where Can I Find Chinese Content Online?
U.S. streaming service Sling TV has a Mandarin TV package called Great Wall TV. Those with Great Wall TV have access to 22 channels, including CCTV, Zhejiang TV and Hunan TV. To sign up for Sling TV, you will need a U.S. payment method like a U.S. credit card, a Paypal account or a Sling TV gift card.
For Cantonese speakers and learners, Sling TV offers Jadeworld, which gives you access to nine live Cantonese channels. Taiwanese Mega is Sling TV’s Taiwanese content package, and it currently offers 16 channels. The prices for these plans are separate from the standard Sling TV packages — you can purchase them as standalone packages.
You can also find Roku channels with Chinese content, including China TV, ACTV Mandarin, Chinese Zone and Innovative Language (for Chinese learners). Some Roku channels may be completely free or have free plans (like Innovative Language), whereas others may be subscription services.
How Can I Watch Chinese TV in the USA for Free?
Sling TV’s Mandarin TV package Great Wall TV offers a seven-day free trial for new subscribers, as does its Cantonese package, Jadeworld, and its Taiwanese package, Taiwanese Mega. YouTube is also a great source of Chinese content, as many Chinese channels have YouTube channels.
Alternatively, you can access Chinese TV via Chinese TV streaming platforms and sites. For example, we were able to easily access a wide variety of Mandarin-language TV sites, including CCTV-1 and Zhejiang TV.
However, TV channel sites sometimes restrict viewership to only those within a country. For example, when we tried to access Jiangsu TV’s live stream, we received an error message informing us that the content is unavailable for copyright reasons. In situations like these, you can use a VPN.
How Does a VPN Help You Unblock Chinese Content Online?
A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts and routes your traffic through a server in another location, changing your IP address to one of that locale. This allows you to access blocked streaming sites and services from other countries because the site you’re trying to access will see you as being where your new IP address says you are.
For example, if you’re outside China and can’t stream Chinese TV on the site you want, you can use a reliable VPN with Chinese servers to get a Chinese IP address and gain access.
One thing to be aware of: China is always stepping up its game when it comes to recognizing and blocking VPNs it hasn’t approved. For this reason, a VPN might not always be able to bypass the restrictions on a blocked site. On the flip side, VPN providers are always working to strengthen their unblocking power.
If a VPN isn’t working with the Chinese site you want, one workaround is to try out different Chinese server locations, which may, in some cases, mean downloading a different VPN if the one you’re using only has one server location in China.
While this can be frustrating, some VPNs, including those we recommend below, offer money-back guarantees, so you can always get your money back within a certain amount of time (often 30 days, but this varies) if you’re not having any luck with the Chinese servers.
Chinese Shows & Movies on Netflix: Is Netflix in China?
No, Netflix is not available in China, much to the dismay of many a traveler who heads over there. Fortunately, if you plan to travel to China, you can use a VPN to unblock Netflix while you’re there by connecting to a server in a country where Netflix is available, like the U.S.
When it comes to Chinese content on Netflix, the U.S. Netflix library has a selection of Mandarin, Taiwanese and Cantonese movies and shows. That said, Netflix libraries aren’t the same everywhere. For example, when we checked out the U.K. Netflix library, we found that the selection of Chinese-language content was slightly different from that in the U.S. library.
If you’d like to explore various Netflix libraries around the world to see what’s on offer, you can do so by connecting to a VPN server. For example, if you want to access the U.K. Netflix library, connect to a server based in the U.K., then proceed to use Netflix as normal. Extra tip — search for “Chinese movies & TV” in the Netflix search bar.
How to Watch Chinese Channels With a VPN
If you want to access Chinese streaming services or TV channels that are blocked outside of China, here’s how to use a VPN to get a Chinese IP address. We’ll use CyberGhost for this tutorial, but you can find more VPN recommendations farther down.
As mentioned above, China has a special knack for blocking VPNs, so your VPN with Chinese servers might not always work. One option is to try different VPNs with Chinese servers to see which one works best — our top three choices have money-back guarantees (see below for more).
- Download a VPN With Chinese Servers
Choose a VPN with Chinese servers, such as CyberGhost, and go to the provider’s website to sign up.
- Download the VPN
After signing up, you may be prompted to download and install the VPN app. If not, look for the “download” tab on the VPN’s website, and download and install the app for your device.
- Connect to a Chinese Server and Start Streaming
Open CyberGhost, open the server list and select a Chinese server. Press “connect.”
- Access the Blocked Chinese Site
Open the blocked Chinese TV app or site you want to access and start streaming.
The 3 Best VPNs for Watching Chinese TV
The two most important factors in choosing a VPN to watch Chinese TV shows are how secure the provider is and whether or not it has Chinese servers. You’ll also want to pick one with decent speeds. Here are our top recommendations.
1. CyberGhost
Pros:
- Affordable long-term plan
- Very user-friendly UI
- Excellent security features
Cons:
- Low average download speeds
CyberGhost is our top pick for watching Chinese TV in the U.S. and abroad because it’s a secure service with servers in China and a great track record for bypassing geoblocks. Better yet, the long-term plan and six-month plan both come with a 45-day money-back guarantee, which is a longer time frame than many of its competitors offer.
In addition, CyberGhost is extremely user-friendly, so is a great choice for complete beginners. In terms of cons, our daily speed tests show that CyberGhost’s average download speeds aren’t the best. They should, however, do fine for streaming content in standard quality. Check out our CyberGhost review for more.
- *The $56.94 price under the 2-year plan is billed yearly after the first two years.
- Unlimited GB
- 7
- Yes
2. Private Internet Access
Pros:
- Very cheap long-term plan
- Unlimited device connections
- Decent speeds on average
Cons:
- Average streaming performance
Private Internet Access is another very secure provider with a server location in Mainland China. Its long-term plan is very inexpensive, though its money-back guarantee is a bit shorter than CyberGhost’s, at 30 days. One of the major pros of Private Internet Access is that it offers unlimited device connections, so you can share your subscription with friends and family.
On the downside, Private Internet Access can be inconsistent with certain streaming services, not always making it past geoblocks. However, it works well with major streaming services Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, which is a major pro. Check out our Private Internet Access review for more.
- 10
- Yes
3. Surfshark
Pros:
- Cheap long-term plan
- Unlimited device connections
- Strong average speeds
Cons:
- No servers in Mainland China
Surfshark is consistently one of our top VPN recommendations thanks to its long-term affordability, 30-day money-back guarantee, excellent speeds on average, top-notch security and unlimited simultaneous connections. You can find out more in our Surfshark review.
Just bear in mind that Surfshark, unlike our top two recommendations for Chinese streaming channels, does not have servers in Mainland China; instead, it offers ones in Macau, which is a special administrative region of China. For this reason, you might have trouble accessing some content from Mainland China.
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Plans renew: $185.40 for one year, $370.80 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
Can I Use a Free VPN to Watch Chinese TV?
Unfortunately, our top free VPN recommendations, Proton VPN, Windscribe and TunnelBear, don’t have Chinese servers. If you do find a free VPN with Chinese servers, we recommend doing your research to make sure it’s a reputable service before signing up — only a handful of free VPN providers are truly secure and private.
On a final note, remember that, while our VPN recommendations for Chinese TV channels don’t have free plans, they do have money-back guarantees. This means you can try them out without the risk of throwing money away if you change your mind.
Final Thoughts
The good news is that there are plenty of Chinese TV sites and streaming services available in the U.S. and abroad. That said, accessing sites restricted to China only from outside the country can be tricky, but not impossible. To recap, if there’s a site you want to access but can’t due to regional restrictions, we recommend giving CyberGhost, or one of our other VPN recommendations, a try.
Do you know of a Chinese TV streaming service that’s blocked outside China? If so, which one, and which VPN have you chosen to tackle the issue? Let us and our other readers know your experience in the comments section below. Thanks for reading.
FAQ: Watch Chinese TV Channels From Anywhere
Sling TV has Mandarin, Cantonese and Taiwanese packages. YouTube is also a great source of Chinese TV content. Alternatively, you can access the free websites of Chinese TV channels to watch content there. If a website is blocked outside China, you can download a VPN with Chinese servers to access it.
The China TV app is available to download on Roku streaming devices. You can also watch a wide variety of Chinese TV content, including CCTV-1, on the channels’ free websites. If a Chinese website you want to access is geoblocked, you can use a VPN with Chinese servers to unblock it.
Yes, Roku has a variety of Chinese channels, including China TV, Chinese Zone and ACTV Mandarin.