How to call a supplier in China from abroad
Short answer
To call a supplier in China from abroad, dial +86, the area code without its leading 0, and the number, using a browser-based calling service like RobinPhone. It rings the factory's office landline or your sales rep's mobile like a normal call, with no app or Chinese number needed, and you pay per minute with no subscription.
Day to day, WeChat and email are fine for talking to your rep. This guide is for when they are not: your rep has stopped replying, you need the accounts or shipping desk rather than the rep, or an urgent problem needs a live conversation now. In those cases you need to ring the factory itself, and WeChat cannot dial an office line. Here is how to get through.
Why WeChat and TradeManager aren't enough
WeChat voice calls only reach other WeChat contacts, and Alibaba's TradeManager only reaches the person logged in. A factory's main office line, the accounts department or the shipping desk are ordinary phone numbers. When your usual contact goes quiet, the office landline is often the only way to reach anyone.
China is one time zone
The whole country runs on China Standard Time (UTC+8), including Guangdong and Zhejiang, where most factories are. Offices generally work 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday, and many close for lunch between 12 and 2 pm. From the US East Coast that is your evening, from the UK it is your morning, and from Singapore it is the same time as yours.
Foreign numbers are sometimes screened
Chinese carriers and phone handsets flag some unfamiliar overseas numbers as spam, so an unannounced call can go unanswered. You get through far more reliably if you message your contact on WeChat first to say you are about to call, and if the number they see is a real one you have verified as your caller ID.
How to call a Chinese factory or supplier, step by step
- 1Write the number in international format with China's country code +86For a factory landline, drop the 0 from the city area code: 020 in Guangzhou becomes +86 20, 0755 in Shenzhen becomes +86 755, 021 in Shanghai becomes +86 21, 0574 in Ningbo becomes +86 574. Chinese mobile numbers are 11 digits starting with 1, so 138 xxxx xxxx is dialled as +86 138 xxxx xxxx.
- 2Call during Chinese office hours, avoiding the lunch breakAll of China is on one time zone, UTC+8. Factories generally answer between 9 am and 6 pm Monday to Friday and many close from 12 to 2 pm. From New York that is 9 pm to 6 am, from London 2 am to 11 am, and from Singapore or Hong Kong the same time as yours.
- 3Open RobinPhone in your browser and dial the numberWorks on a laptop or phone in Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox. Nothing to install, no Chinese SIM and no Chinese phone number needed. Set your own verified number as caller ID so the factory sees a real number rather than an anonymous overseas one, which is less likely to be screened as spam.
- 4Ask for your contact by name and be ready to be transferredFront-desk staff at Chinese factories rarely speak English. Have your PO or invoice number, the product name in the supplier's own wording, and your contact's Chinese name ready. If your rep is unavailable, ask for the sales manager or the shipping or accounts department.
- 5Confirm what was agreed in writing straight after the callIn China the written follow-up is what gets acted on. Send a short summary of the agreed price, quantity, dates or fix on whichever channel you normally use with the supplier, and keep a copy for any later dispute.
What it costs
| China | $0.88/min |
| Hong Kong | $0.11/min |
| Taiwan | $0.06/min |
| Vietnam | $0.19/min |
| Thailand | $0.18/min |
| Malaysia | $0.02/min |
| Indonesia | $0.14/min |
| Singapore | $0.06/min |
Live landline rates, billed per minute. No connection fee. Full rates for 175+ countries
Common questions
Can I call a Chinese factory on WeChat?
Only if the person you want is a WeChat contact and actually picks up. Many reps ignore WeChat calls and reply by text later, and WeChat cannot dial a factory's office landline, switchboard or any number that is not on WeChat. For those you need a service that connects to the phone network, such as RobinPhone.
Why won't my Chinese supplier answer my call?
The most common reasons are a call outside 9 am to 6 pm China time, a call during the 12 to 2 pm lunch break, or an unfamiliar overseas number being screened as spam. Message them first, call the office landline as well as the mobile, and use a verified caller ID.
Do I need a Chinese phone number to call a supplier?
No. RobinPhone calls any Chinese landline or mobile from your browser using your existing internet connection. You can show your own verified number as caller ID so the supplier sees who is calling.
How much does it cost to call China?
China is one of the more expensive destinations because Chinese carriers charge more to connect calls from foreign numbers. RobinPhone bills per minute with no connection fee and no subscription, so a focused ten-minute call to sort out an order costs a few dollars. The live rate is shown in the table above.
Is there a free test call to China?
No, but you can start with just $5 of credit, it never expires, and you only pay for the minutes you actually talk, so a quick call to sort out an order costs very little.
What is the best time to call China from the US or Europe?
Aim for 9 to 11 am or 2 to 5 pm China time (UTC+8). From New York that is 9 to 11 pm or 2 to 5 am; from London it is 2 to 4 am or 7 to 10 am; from Los Angeles, 6 to 8 pm or 11 pm to 2 am. Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong share China's time.
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