Service
Infrastructure & optimization for mainland China
TL;DR
- Cross-border sites often load in 15–30+ seconds; mainland CDN and hosting fix that — what a China CDN requires first.
- We deploy on Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud with China-optimized routing — how to choose between them.
- You can keep a global stack and add a China acceleration path before full migration.
Global brands frequently discover that a well-tuned site in Europe or the US becomes unusable on China networks. International bandwidth, DNS resolution outside the country, and blocked third-party scripts compound into abandoned sessions and broken features.
What we deliver
- Mainland Hosting Deployment — Provision on Alibaba Cloud or Tencent Cloud when compliance and performance require in-country origin. The provider must accept your entity type and business category before you can file. Alibaba Cloud vs Tencent Cloud: how to choose
- CDN Configuration & Tuning — Static assets, media, and cache policies tuned for China ISPs. Mainland edge nodes require an MIIT-issued CDN license and a valid ICP filing before activation. China CDN requirements for foreign companies
- Blocked-Dependency Audit — Identify every script and API that fails behind the firewall. Each blocked dependency has its own replacement path — Google Maps becomes Amap or Baidu Maps, global checkout becomes WeChat Pay. Blocked APIs in China: the dependency playbook The live status view of that audit: the China dependency checker.
- Hybrid Architecture Design — Link your global CMS or API to a China-facing edge layer. Your existing stack keeps serving international visitors while the China acceleration path carries mainland traffic. Why your website is slow in China — full diagnosis
- Performance Testing & Baselines — Measure first-render time, TTFB, DNS location, and CDN edge from mainland test points — four measurements, no mainland office required. How to test your website from China
How we work
| Phase | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Discovery & audit | Map your stack, China traffic paths, blocked dependencies, and compliance gaps. Run the 10-point self-check first. |
| 2. Architecture & compliance | Define hosting, CDN, entity/ICP route, and API replacements with clear timelines. |
| 3. Build & integrate | Implement infrastructure, filings support, and WeChat integrations on your codebase. |
| 4. Launch & optimize | Monitor performance from China networks and hand over runbooks for operations. |
19+ years in R&D leadership and systems architecture behind every engagement — who we are · source citations
Global vs mainland hosting
| Factor | Global-only | Mainland + CDN |
|---|---|---|
| Typical TTFB from China | 2–8+ s | < 1 s (with tuning) |
| Third-party APIs | Often blocked | Replaced or proxied |
| ICP requirement | Lower if not hosted in CN | Filing usually required |
Infrastructure work pairs with our ICP & compliance and WeChat ecosystem services when you need a full China go-live. For the full diagnosis behind the 15–30+ second problem, read Why Your Website Is Slow in China (and What Fixes It). For the dependency-level fix — which APIs are blocked and what replaces them — see Blocked APIs in China: the dependency playbook. Prefer the global clouds inside the mainland? AWS China Regions and Azure China (21Vianet) run behind licensed local operators under the same filing rules. Building a transaction platform? The VATS / EDI license (B21) assessment belongs in the same compliance window as the filing and the ICP license.
Frequently asked questions
Why is our website slow in mainland China when it works fine elsewhere?
Cross-border sites often load in 15–30+ seconds for China visitors, with typical TTFB of 2–8+ seconds on a global-only setup. Three causes compound: congested cross-border transit, DNS resolution outside the country, and blocked third-party scripts. Mainland hosting plus a China-tuned CDN brings TTFB under 1 second with tuning; blocked dependencies are replaced separately.
Can we keep our current CMS and tech stack?
Yes. Hybrid architecture links your global CMS or API to a China-facing edge layer, and many brands add a China path — CDN, localized pages, replaced APIs — without replacing the global site. Your existing stack keeps serving international visitors while the China acceleration path carries mainland traffic.
Parts of our site break in China — maps, video, checkout. Is a rebuild required?
No. The dependency audit identifies the scripts and APIs that fail behind the firewall, and each blocked dependency has its own replacement path — Google Maps becomes Amap or Baidu Maps, YouTube becomes a domestic video host, global checkout becomes WeChat Pay. For each dependency you replace it, proxy it, or run both paths.
Doesn't our existing global CDN already cover China?
No. An offshore CDN edge does not touch the cross-border hop, so it does not fix China load times — the CDN must have edge nodes inside mainland China. Mainland edge nodes are run only by operators holding MIIT-issued CDN licenses, and enabling mainland or global acceleration on Alibaba Cloud CDN or Tencent EdgeOne requires a valid ICP filing first.
Alibaba Cloud or Tencent Cloud — which should we deploy on?
We deploy on both Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud with China-optimized routing — there is no universal winner. The right provider depends on your entity structure, your application architecture, and where your China users are located, and the provider must accept your entity type and business category before you can file.
Need a China performance audit?
Email your domain, where it is hosted today, and what fails from China — we will tell you whether it is a transit, dependency, or filing problem.
Email hello@chinagateway.proPrefer to scope it yourself? 10-point readiness check · deep dives: Reach China without an ICP filing — paths & trade-offs, Hong Kong vs mainland server trade-offs, how to test your website from China — four measurements, no mainland office required, how to choose between Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud, China CDN requirements — what it takes before any edge node serves your traffic, What entry-tier mainland hosting actually costs — bundles, pay-as-you-go, and the costs around the server, ICP filing for foreign companies — the step-by-step timeline