How to Share Files with China: Working Around the Great Firewall

The Great Firewall Problem for File Sharing

China's Great Firewall blocks over 10,000 websites, including nearly every major Western file sharing platform. The blocked list includes:

• Google Drive - completely blocked
• Dropbox - completely blocked
• OneDrive - blocked
• Box - blocked
• WeTransfer - blocked
• Gmail - blocked (so email attachments from Gmail don't work either)
• Slack - blocked

The firewall works by inspecting TCP packets for sensitive keywords and blocking connections to blacklisted IP addresses. When a service is blocked, users in mainland China cannot access it. No amount of waiting or refreshing will help.

This creates a real problem for international business. US-China file exchange has increased 40% over the past five years, yet the tools most Western companies rely on don't work.

Why VPNs Are Not the Answer

Many guides recommend VPNs as a workaround. This is problematic for several reasons:

Legal gray area. The Chinese government actively blocks VPN services and has made their unauthorized use illegal for businesses. While enforcement varies, asking Chinese colleagues or clients to use a VPN puts them in a difficult position.

Unreliable connections. The Great Firewall specifically targets VPN protocols. Connections drop frequently, especially during politically sensitive periods. The weeks before and after June 4th (Tiananmen Square anniversary) often see complete VPN blackouts.

Not practical for large files. Even when VPNs work, the encrypted tunneling adds latency and reduces throughput. Transferring a 50GB video project over a VPN takes hours.

Your Chinese contacts may not have one. You can't assume your clients, vendors, or partners in China have VPN access. Asking them to set one up for your convenience isn't realistic.

A better approach: use services that work natively in China without requiring workarounds.

File Sharing Services That Work in China

These services are not blocked by the Great Firewall and can reliably transfer files between China and the rest of the world:

Enterprise Solutions

FileCloud - Enterprise file sync with China-accessible infrastructure. Works without VPN and supports large file transfers.

Filemail - Specializes in large file transfers (up to 250GB). Accessible from China with high-speed transfers.

Binfer - Uses direct peer-to-peer transfers instead of cloud servers. Since files go directly between computers, there's no server to block. Works well for very large files.

Files.com - Customers report reliable access using FTP/SFTP protocols. The web interface may have issues, but FTP connections work.

Chinese Platforms

Baidu Cloud (Baidu Netdisk) - China's largest cloud storage service. Works perfectly within China but transfers to international users can be slow or complicated. Interface is in Chinese.

Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun) - Enterprise cloud storage with international and Chinese infrastructure. Good for businesses with significant China operations.

Protocol-Based Solutions

If you control both endpoints, FTP and SFTP protocols generally work better than HTTP/HTTPS for cross-border transfers. The Great Firewall is more aggressive about blocking web-based services than traditional file transfer protocols.

How to Send Large Files to China

Large file transfers to China require extra planning. Here's a practical workflow:

Step 1: Verify access. Before sending important files, test with a small file first. Ask your Chinese contact to confirm they can access the download link.

Step 2: Avoid email. Gmail is blocked, and email attachment limits (typically 25MB) won't work for large files anyway. Use a dedicated file transfer service.

Step 3: Share simple links. Complex URLs with many parameters are more likely to fail. Services that provide short, clean download links work better.

Step 4: Have a backup plan. Keep an alternative service ready in case your primary choice gets blocked. The Great Firewall changes constantly.

Step 5: Consider time zones. China Standard Time (CST) is UTC+8. Sending files during Chinese business hours means someone can verify receipt immediately.

For files over 10GB, direct transfer services like Binfer or FTP often outperform cloud-based sharing due to fewer intermediate hops.

Receiving Files from China

Getting files from contacts in China has its own challenges:

They may use Chinese services. Expect to receive Baidu Cloud links, which require a Baidu account to download. Create a free account ahead of time.

Files may be split. Chinese services sometimes limit individual file sizes. Your contact might split a large file into multiple parts that need reassembling.

Chinese characters in filenames. Files from China often have Chinese characters in their names. Most modern operating systems handle this fine, but older software might have issues.

WeChat file sharing. For smaller files, many Chinese users prefer WeChat. The app is available internationally and works reliably for files under 100MB.

The best approach: agree on a shared platform before the project starts. Pick something accessible from both sides and test it with sample files.

Setting Up Reliable Cross-Border File Sharing

For ongoing collaboration with Chinese partners, establish a permanent solution rather than improvising each time:

For occasional transfers

Use Filemail or similar services that work without accounts. Send a link, they download, done.

For regular collaboration

Set up shared folders on a platform that works in China. FileCloud and Alibaba Cloud both offer this capability.

For enterprise deployments

Consider cloud storage with Points of Presence (PoPs) inside China. This provides the fastest transfers and most reliable access. Your IT team will need to evaluate options based on your specific compliance and security requirements.

Key features to look for

• No VPN required - Should work natively from mainland China
• Large file support - At least 10GB+ per file for video and design work
• Audit trails - Know when files were accessed and by whom
• Link expiration - Set time limits on shared links for security
• Password protection - Add an extra layer of access control

What to Do When Services Get Blocked

The Great Firewall is not static. Services that work today may be blocked tomorrow. Here's how to handle disruptions:

Monitor access regularly. Check with Chinese contacts periodically to confirm your sharing solution still works. Don't wait until a deadline to discover it's been blocked.

Maintain alternatives. Have at least two backup services ready. If your primary gets blocked, you can switch immediately.

Use different protocols. If web access fails, FTP/SFTP might still work. Having an FTP server as backup provides resilience.

Check blocking status. Tools like GreatFire Analyzer (if accessible) or asking local contacts can confirm whether a specific domain is blocked.

Timing matters. Blocking often intensifies around politically sensitive dates. The weeks surrounding October 1st (National Day) and early June typically see heavier restrictions.

The safest approach: don't rely on a single service for business-critical transfers. Always have a backup when working across the Great Firewall.