Current time in China
The current local time in China, how far that is from major cities, and whether it is a reasonable hour to call.
Current time in China
06:39 Tuesday 18 August · UTC+8 · no daylight saving
| Where | Local time | Difference | Reasonable to call? |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 18:39 Mon | 12h behind | Yes |
| Los Angeles | 15:39 Mon | 15h behind | Yes |
| London | 23:39 Mon | 7h behind | No, outside 8am to 9pm |
| Berlin | 00:39 Tue | 6h behind | No, outside 8am to 9pm |
| Sydney | 08:39 Tue | 2h ahead | Yes |
| Singapore | 06:39 Tue | same time | No, outside 8am to 9pm |
| Dubai | 02:39 Tue | 4h behind | No, outside 8am to 9pm |
- The whole country runs on this single zone, despite spanning about five geographic hours. In the far west that means sunrise can be near 10am by the clock.
- There is no daylight saving, so the offset is the same all year and your calculation does not change mid-trip.
- Business hours are typically 9am to 6pm with a real lunch break, and many offices genuinely stop for it.
Planning Calls and Arrivals
The table above is live, so it is the quickest way to check before you dial. Two things it will not tell you. A red-eye arrival is a scheduling decision as much as a flight choice: landing at 6am against a 3pm check-in makes a long first day, and paying for the previous night is usually the better trade. And jet lag is not symmetrical, so booking an arrival in the late afternoon local time gives you the shortest path to a normal night's sleep.
For everything else about visiting, see the China guide.