Current time in China
China Standard Time (CST) · UTC+8 · Capital: Beijing
See the current time in China alongside major cities worldwide on our world clock.
Time zones in China
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.
Photos of China
Current time in cities in China
China map
Best time to call China
Time difference from China
Time tools for Beijing
More countries in Asia
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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 01:00–09:00 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.