China Website Hosting: What You Should Know (2022)

China Website Hosting: Technology has come a long way and has played a significant role in globalization. People can now conduct business dealings with people worldwide with little-to-no difficulty. This concept is especially true for entrepreneurs looking to start or expand their business into new and foreign markets. One of the most important factors to think about is where to host your website or app.

If you’re looking to build a website, one of the first things you need to consider is where to host it. Hosting your website in China is your best option for targeting a Chinese audience, but some factors to consider before moving forward. We will provide you with an overview of what hosting in China entails and some pointers for getting started in this post.

Is It Necessary to Host My Website in China?

Anyone wanting to reach out to Chinese customers or develop a following within the region would find hosting their website in China beneficial. However, this does not imply that your website will suddenly rank on Baidu overnight by putting it up there, and it’s all about focusing on your target audience and finding them.

When it comes to hosting in China, finding the appropriate host is critical since each host has different data center locations and server placement tactics. You should pick a host that places their servers close to areas with lots of internet traffic so you can get the best possible speeds and loading times. Having fast speed will guarantee visitors stay on your site once they arrive. Of course, when the website is slow, experience a high bounce rate. Nobody wants to stick with a slow-loading website.

What Is ICP (Internet Content Provider) and Why Is It Required for Hosting?

If you want to operate a website in China, you’ll need an ICP License. This license will allow you to create and manage a website on mainland Chinese web hosting servers. Before going live, all sites hosted on a server in the Chinese mainland must have one of these licenses, which is enforced at the hosting level.

When you obtain this license, certain restrictions apply to publishing content inside China’s borders. You must follow rules that regulate what types of material may be distributed within China. It is always a good idea to double-check to ensure that your site does not violate any laws so that you or the hosting provider aren’t penalized.

Hiring a reputable firm in China specializing in web hosting is one way to avoid violating content rules. They’ll have expertise with the significant numbers of websites hosted in their data centers, so you won’t have to worry about them accidentally hosting any restricted sites without risking penalties against your site.

In a nutshell, when purchasing web hosting and servers based in China, ICP is unavoidable. You need to get one to ensure your company complies to the government’s regulations.

China Website Hosting: Can Foreign Companies Host Websites in China?

Only foreign companies with legal business operations can host websites in China as long as they have an ICP license. It’s the only way to ensure that your site is hosted within Chinese borders, which is required by law for all sites hosted on a server on the Mainland. It’s essential to follow all rules and regulations mandated by the government because it applies not just to websites but also to business operations.

Any individual or legal entity with a website hosted in China can apply for an ICP license. The main requirements are that the host company must have its business registration certificate(s), and the site’s content must comply with Chinese law. Still, specific licenses may be needed for online payment processing, online news publishing, advertising, etc.

If it’s a foreign business that doesn’t have a legal presence and foreigners who don’t have a passport and currently don’t reside in China can’t get an ICP to host websites.

What Are the Benefits of China Website Hosting?

Here are the top five reasons why you should consider hosting your website in China before making a decision.

• High Availability – One of the most significant reasons that hosting sites in China is becoming popular with today’s big businesses is because of its high availability rates and importance on uptime. This makes perfect sense when you consider that the country has more than a billion internet users. The vast number of active people means that there is always an active audience to see your website.
• Low Latency – One of the biggest problems that people have when hosting websites in countries outside of China is latency, but you won’t have this issue if you are prepared to host sites in China. When users visit foreign websites, there is usually a delay between their action and the outcome due to high latency rates. Many companies simply give up on having an international presence because of this problem, so you can be ahead of the curve by choosing a Chinese hosting company.
• Server Location Options – Finally, another benefit to having your site hosted in China is the wide variety of server location options. Understandably, most companies would prefer to have their sites on servers located closer to them for speed and convenience. You can choose between servers in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong depending on which is closest to your business or personal needs.

Final Thoughts

If you are a business looking to expand your reach into the Chinese market, or if you are simply curious about the topic, we hope that this article has been helpful. Hosting your website in China can be a complex process, but our team at LIMPID is here to help make it as smooth and stress-free as possible.

We have years of experience working with businesses of all sizes and industries, so no matter what your needs may be, we can find a hosting solution that works for you. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can help you grow your business in China.