ChinaCurrent time in China

China Standard Time (CST) · UTC+8 · Capital: Beijing

03:50:51
Friday 23 October 2026
Time zoneChina Standard Time (CST)Asia/Shanghai
UTC offsetUTC+8
Daylight saving timeNot observed
Official name
Zhōnghuá Rénmín Gònghéguó
Capital
Beijing
Population
1,371,590,000
Currency
CNY
Language
Chinese
Dialling code
+86
Internet domain
.cn
ISO codes
CN, CHN
Continent
Asia
Largest city
Chongqing
Cities on WorldClock
20
Number of time zones
2

Time zones in China

ShanghaiUTC+803:50
UrumqiUTC+601:50

About China

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is a one-party state governed by the Communist Party of China. PRC, which is located in East Asia, was founded 1st October 1949 and covered 9.6 million square kilometres making it the fourth largest county in the world. China also boarders 14 other countries which is means it has more neighbours than any other nation. The capital of China is Beijing and Shanghai is the most inhabited city. Modern Standard Mandarin is the country’s official language and more than 1.3 billion people live in China. The country’s currency is the Renminbi (CNY). In 1997, the United Kingdom returned ownership of Hong Kong to China and in 1999 Portugal returned Macao, however, today these countries remain largely autonomous. PRC claims ownership of Taiwan although China has no actual control over Taiwan which operates under a completely different political system known as the Republic of China (Taiwan). Many species of animals can be found in China including tapir, Leopard cat, bamboo rat, camel, moose, Asian black bear and the rare panda. The Chines invented papermaking, gunpowder, the compass and printing.

Weather in Beijing

Weather data: MET Norway · Full forecast ↗

Photos of China

Current time in cities in China

Chongqing 03:50ChongqingShanghai 03:50ShanghaiBeijing 03:50BeijingShenzhen 03:50ShenzhenChengdu 03:50ChengduGuangzhou 03:50GuangzhouTianjin 03:50TianjinHarbin 03:50HarbinWuhan 03:50WuhanXi’an 03:50Xi’anNanjing 03:50NanjingHangzhou 03:50HangzhouShenyang 03:50ShenyangQingdao 03:50QingdaoSuzhou 03:50SuzhouKunming 03:50KunmingDalian 03:50DalianXiamen 03:50XiamenZhengzhou 03:50ZhengzhouChangsha 03:50Changsha
Shaded areas are currently in night. The map updates live.

China map

Best time to call China

Your time
China

Time difference from China

CityLocal timeDifference
London20:507 h behind
Paris21:506 h behind
Moscow22:505 h behind
Istanbul22:505 h behind
Dubai23:504 h behind
New Delhi01:202:30 h behind
Bangkok02:501 h behind
Tokyo04:501 h ahead
Sydney06:503 h ahead
New York15:5012 h behind
Los Angeles12:5015 h behind

More countries in Asia

Related

Frequently asked questions

What time zone is China in?

China is spread over several time zones. The capital, Beijing, is on China Standard Time (CST), UTC+8.

How many time zones does China have?

China has 2 time zones, from UTC+6 (Urumqi) to UTC+8 (Shanghai), a 2-hour spread.

Does China observe daylight saving time?

No. China does not use daylight saving time, so the clocks stay on UTC+8 all year round.

What time is it in Beijing right now?

Beijing, the capital of China, is on China Standard Time (CST), UTC+8. The live clock at the top of this page always shows the exact current time.

What is the time difference between China and London?

China is currently 7 hours ahead of London. The gap can change by an hour when either side switches to or from daylight saving time.

What is the time difference between China and New York?

China is currently 12 hours ahead of New York. The gap can change by an hour when either side switches to or from daylight saving time.

What is the best time to call China?

Office hours in China (9:00–17:00 local time) are 02:00–10:00 in London and 21:00–05:00 in New York, so aim for that window.

Which countries in Asia are on the same time as China?

Right now these countries in Asia share UTC+8: Brunei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan.

What is the dialling code for China?

The international dialling code for China is +86.